Eagles Sweep Day Two of War Eagle Classic
2/27/2011 5:25:00 AM | Softball
AUBURN, Ala. - Georgia Southern swept day two of the War Eagle Classic at Auburn University, easily dispatching Belmont 11-0 in five innings before rallying past Middle Tennessee State, 6-5, in the nightcap. Andrea Tarashuk (Flemington, N.J.) and Tabby Douberley (Clyo, Ga.) had career days for the Eagles (6-9) against the Belmont Bruins. Tarashuk tallied a career-best three hits and four RBI. Douberley tied her career best for hits (two) and set a career mark for RBI with four.
Tarashuk led off the second inning with a double off the top of the wall. Douberley tripled to plate pinch runner Nicole Benton(Wrightsville, Ga.) and open the scoring against Belmont. Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.) singled in the next at bat to put runners on the corners. Later in the inning, Smith stole second base, but Douberley would get caught in a run-down. Smith wisely continued to round the bases as Douberley was tagged out. Belmont attempted to catch Smith at third base, but an errant throw allowed the senior to score to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead. In the third inning, Jorie Walker (Dublin, Ga.) reached on a hit a hard single past the Belmont first baseman. Kelly Burnett (Boynton Beach, Fla.) then singled to put runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved them both into scoring position. Tarashuk delivered with a two- run double to left-center, extending the Eagles' lead to 4-0. Following a Douberley walk, Smith doubled to centerfield, to further Georgia Southern's lead to 5-0 after three innings.
Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) reached base via a walk in the fourth inning and Breigh Findlay (Macon, Ga.) pinch ran for her. Bethany Crenshaw (Warner Robins, Ga.) singled through the left side of the infield to advance Findlay and Walker posted an RBI to score Findlay off a hard single that caromed off the Bruins' pitcher. Burnett loaded up the bases with a walk and Tarashuk brought both Crenshaw and Walker home with a single up the middle. Douberley brought the final two runs of the game with her first home run as an Eagle.
After falling behind to 2-0 early to Middle Tennessee State in game two of the day, Georgia Southern rallied with two outs in the top of the fourth. Ennis singled to shallow right centerfield and Crenshaw singled up the middle to put runners on first and second base. Marie Fogle (Rincon, Ga.) singled through the right side to score Benton, who was running for Ennis, and advance Crenshaw to third base.
For the second time on Saturday, with runners on the corners, the Eagles executed a delayed steal to perfection. Fogle went for second base and got caught in a run-down. Crenshaw scurried towards home plate while the infielders were distracted by Fogle. A collision at home plate between Crenshaw and the Middle Tennessee catcher, Natalie Ysais, caused the ball to pop free to give the Eagles their first lead, 3-2.
Middle Tennessee rallied with two runs in the bottom of the fourth when Nina Davenport tripled to left field scoring Kelsey Dortch. Kandra Singleton singled to score Davenport and restore the Blue Raiders' lead to 4-3. MTSU tacked another run on in the fifth inning when Dortch had an RBI double and widened the Blue Raider lead to 5-3.
In the top of the seventh inning, Georgia Southern came through in the clutch. With one out, Smith smashed the game-tying home run with Douberley on board thanks to her single. The long-ball tied the game at 5-5. Burnett doubled and advanced to third on a fly out by Mackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.). Ennis singled in the eventual game-winning run as the Eagles prevailed 6-5.
Freshman pitcher Allie Miles (Dacula, Ga.) earned the win in both contests, improving to 3-4 on the season. She pitched a complete game against Belmont and allowed just one hit while striking out seven and walking just one. In the Middle Tennessee State game, she came on in relief of Brianna Streetmon (Winder, Ga.). Miles pitched three and a third innings, and allowed one run on one hit with five strikeouts.
Georgia Southern Softball concludes play in the War Eagle Classic at Auburn's Jane B. Moore Field Sunday, February 27th, against Murray State at 12:30 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.
