Eagles Dodge Raindrops in First Day of Tennessee Classic
3/5/2011 7:27:00 PM | Softball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Georgia Southern Softball dropped a 10-5 decision to Louisiana-Monroe in its opener at the Tennessee Classic in Knoxville, Tenn. The Warhawks scored five runs with two outs in the top of the sixth to pull away from the Eagles. Junior Marie Fogle (Rincon, Ga.) went three for four at the plate while driving in two run to lead the Georgia Southern offense. In the day's finale, No. 7 Tennessee took the 8-0 win at Lee Softball Stadium.
Louisiana-Monroe's (11-9) Janel Salanoa hit a two-run home run in the first inning with two outs to give the Warhawks an early 2-0 lead. Georgia Southern (7-11) rebounded in the bottom of the first. Fogle led off with a double to the gap in right and scored when sophomore Andrea Tarashuk (Flemington, N.J.) executed a perfect squeeze play to draw the Eagles within one run, 2-1. After Fogle reached base, Jorie Walker (Dublin, Ga.) dropped a bunt single to advance Fogle, putting runners on the corners. Walker stole second on the first pitch to Megen Smith (Springfield, Ga.), but did not score.
The Eagles took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second when Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) opened the frame with a single and was moved to second by a sacrifice bunt by Kelly Burnett (Boynett Beach, Fla.). Junior Mackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.) walked and a one-out sacrifice bunt by Bethany Crenshaw (Warner Robins, Ga.) put runners on second and third. Fogle ripped a two-out triple down the left field line to clear the bases and two RBIs.
The Warhawks took the lead back in the third when Brianna Love singled to lead off the frame. Roxane Cassel would score Love on a double down the left field line. Another single by Katie Girardi put Louisiana-Monroe back on top 4-3. A single by Elise West extended the lead to 5-3.
Ennis led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to right field. With one out, Williams smashed a home run to centerfield to score Ennis. Williams' third long ball of the season brought Enis home and tied the game, 5-5.
Louisiana-Monroe grabbed the lead again when pitcher Allie Miles (Dacula, Ga.) walked in the go-ahead run with the bases loaded in the sixth. Smith relieved Miles in the circle, but the Warhawks got another walk for a 7-5 lead. With the bases still loaded, Melissa Rivera's three-run double provided Louisiana-Monroe the deciding 10-5 lead.
Tennessee, with the Southeastern Conference's top batting average, used a mix of doubles, a home run and a pair of Eagle errors in the second inning to race out to a 6-0 lead. The Lady Vols extended their lead to 7-0 in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by Raven Chavanne that scored Ashley Andrews.
Tennessee's Katherine Dotson homered in the fourth inning to right field for the game's final margin, 8-0. The Eagles could only muster two hits in the wet conditions.
Georgia Southern concludes play in the 2011 Tennessee Classic with an exhibition game against the Dutch National Team at 11 a.m. before playing its final game against Tennessee at 1 p.m. The Eagles return home to the friendly confines of Eagle Field after their 16-game road trip on Wednesday March 16th for a doubleheader against Mercer. Game times are scheduled for 3 and 5 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.
