Georgia Southern Earns Series Split with Panthers
2/17/2011 4:48:00 AM | Softball
ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia Southern (3-3) split a twilight doubleheader with Georgia State at Bob Heck Field on Wednesday, February 16th as the Eagles took game one 2-1 and dropped game two 3-2. In the opener, the Eagles scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning on a Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) single to left field that plated Kelly Burnett (Boynton Beach, Fla.) who had doubled earlier in the frame.
Georgia Southern perfectly executed a hit-and-run in the second inning of game one to open the scoring. With one out and following a Jorie Walker (Dublin, Ga.) walk, Alexa Lewis (Lawrenceville, Ga.) tripled down the right field line to allow Walker to score from first base. Lewis also shined defensively for the Eagles, making several diving catches and robbing a sure extra-base hit on the warning track in left field.
Southern Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year Brianna Streetmon (Winder, Ga.) pitched a complete game, giving up an unearned run, eight hits and striking out three Panther batters. She improved her record to 2-1 and lowered her team-leading ERA to 2.28.
A play-at-the-plate in game two with the Panthers was the deciding factor as Georgia State held on to down the Eagles, 3-2. With one out in the top of the sixth inning and trailing by three runs, Tabby Douberley (Clyo, Ga.) hit a double to left field to score Marie FogleMackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.) was sent home on the play and the relay from Panthers' Paige Nowacki caught Williams at the plate for the second out. Douberley was stranded at second as the Panthers retired the side and held on for the win. (Rincon, Ga.) and Burnett.
Georgia State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on a single by Carrie Williams that brought Nowacki and Audrey Mason in to score. The Panthers extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning on Mason's home run to left field. Georgia State threatened again in the fifth inning when freshman pitcher Allie Miles (Dacula, Ga.) entered the game, inheriting a bases-loaded jam with one out. Miles worked the Eagles out of the jam by striking out Nowacki and Mason. In all, Miles would retire the first four batters she faced, striking out the first three.
Georgia Southern returns to action this weekend to take part in Florida State's Garnet and Gold Tournament. Georgia Southern will face Florida State, Middle Tennessee State and Kentucky in pool play before beginning bracket games on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles begin the tournament on Friday at 10 a.m. with the Wildcats and return for the afternoon game with the Seminoles at 2:30 p.m.
Fans may follow all the action of the 2011 Georgia Southern Softball season by visiting GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/softball or check in for scores at twitter.com/GSScores or facebook.com/GSAthletics for updates. Live stats and video are available at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com.
