Georgia Southern Drops Pair at Garnet and Gold Tournament
2/18/2011 4:33:00 PM | Softball
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Georgia Southern dropped a pair of games at Florida State's Garnet and Gold Tournament, losing 7-0 to Kentucky and 6-4 to host Florida State at JoAnne Graf Field. The Eagles were plagued by fielding errors in the loss to Florida State and overwhelming pitching in the Kentucky game.
Marie Fogle (Rincon, Ga.) led off the game against Florida State with a solo-shot to centerfield on the second pitch of the game for a 1-0 Eagle lead. Georgia Southern would load the bases with two outs in the frame, but was unable to do any further damage in the inning. The Seminoles would answer in the bottom half of the inning with a single by Shayla Jackson to plate the tying run.
The Eagle offense answered in the second inning by rebuilding the lead. Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) worked an 0-2 count to a walk from Seminoles' pitcher Morgan Bullock. Junior Jorie Walker (Dublin, Ga.) singled thru the left side to put Eagles on first and second base. Kelly Burnett (Boynton Beach, Fla.) singled to again load the bases. Senior Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) hit a sacrifice fly to right field that plated Ennis to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. Walker moved to third base as Mackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.) stepped to the plate. Burnett stole second base on the first pitch, however, the throw down to second skipped into the outfield, allowing Walker to scamper home and give the Eagles a 3-1 lead.
The Seminoles would threaten in the bottom half of the second inning. With no outs and the bases loaded, Smith, the starting pitcher, was able to work herself out of the jam with a pair of fielder choices and a fantastic grab by Andrea Tarashuk (Flemington, N.J.) at third base to preserve the Eagles lead.
Florida State would load the bases in the third. This time, the Seminoles would plate the two runs to tie the game at three all. In the bottom of the fourth, they took their first lead of the game, 4-3, on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Ashley Stager. Florida State extended the lead in the sixth to 5-3 on another sacrifice fly to left by Stager. A wild pitch by relief pitcher Allie Miles (Dacula, Ga.) would plate the final run for the Seminoles.
Smith, who moved to play right field, hit a solo shot to lead off the inning to left field, to pull the Eagles within two runs in the seventh inning. With one out, Tabby Douberley (Clyo, Ga.) singled up the middle. Breigh Findlay (Macon, Ga.) pinch ran for Douberley and advance to second on a wild pitch. With the tying run at the plate and a runner on second, a strikeout silenced the Eagle threat and gave the Seminoles the 6-4 win.
Smith worked the first 2 and a third innings in the circle allowing three runs, two earned off seven hits. Miles took the loss for a 1-1 record on the year. She went 3 and two-thirds scattering five hits and allowing three runs, all earned. The freshman hurler fanned three while walking just one.
In the opening game of Florida State's Garnet and Gold Tournament, Georgia Southern dropped a 7-0 decision against Kentucky. Marie Fogle broke up Wildcats pitcher Chanda Bell's perfect game with a single up the middle at the start of the seventh inning. Bell struck out 15 Eagle batters in the 7-0 decision. Miles would pitch two scoreless innings in relief for the Eagles while striking out three Wildcat batters.
Senior Brianna Streetmon (Winder, Ga.) got the start and worked the first three and a third allowing six runs, five earned off just four hits. She walked three with two strikeouts, for a 2-2 mark on the year.
Georgia Southern returns to action on tomorrow, February 19th against Middle Tennessee State at 10 am. Bracket play begins on Saturday afternoon. Action in the Garnet and Gold Tournament concludes on Sunday.
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 available at Seminoles.com.
