Eagles Down Elon in Opener, Game Two Suspended Due to Rain
4/10/2011 1:08:00 AM | Softball
ELON, N.C. - Sophomore Alexa Lewis (Lawrenceville, Ga.) drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the sixth inning to lift Georgia Southern Softball to a 3-2 win over Elon on Saturday (April 9th). A third-inning home run by Mackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.) and a Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) homer earlier in the sixth tied the score at 2-2. Pinch runner Bethany Crenshaw (Warner Robins, Ga.) slid into home, knocking the ball out of the catcher's mitt to give the Eagles their first lead and eventual victory in game one of the three-game Southern Conference series.
The Eagles and Phoenix played through six innings before game two was suspended due to rain with the Eagles trailing, 1-0. The game resumes on Sunday (April 10th) at 12:30 p.m. prior to the series finale.
"The first win was an important one," said Head Coach Maggie Johnson. "Megen (Smith) stepped in early and threw a great game. Our hitters gave her the support she needed for the win. As for tomorrow, we are going to come back and make something happen in the seventh."
- GAME 1 -
Elon got on the scoreboard first on a two-run home run by Tomeka Watson with one out in the first inning for an early 2-0 lead. The next Elon batter struck a hot-shot up the middle, hitting GSU's starting pitcher, Allie Miles (Dacula, Ga.), on the lower leg. The Eagle freshman made the toss to first base, but the injury took her out of the game. She was relieved by senior Megen Smith, (Springfield, Ga.) who shut out the Phoenix the rest of the way to earn the win.
Mackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.) cut the Elon lead in half with a leadoff home run in the third. Her sixth bomb of the season brought the Eagles within a run at 2-1. The towering shot carried well through the cool, humid air to the deepest part of the park, right-center.
In the sixth inning, Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) brought Georgia Southern back to level terms with a game-tying home run down the left field line. Ennis' fifth four-bagger of the year gave the junior home runs in back-to-back games following her first-inning blast against Kennesaw State on Tuesday, April 5th.
The
Eagles took the lead in the seventh inning on a clutch RBI single by
Lewis. With Fogle on first and pinch runner Crenshaw on second, Lewis
drilled a liner into right field with two outs. Cresnshaw rounded
third and was a step away from the plate as the relay throw arrived.
Crenshaw's hard slide at home knocked the ball out of the catcher's
mitt and the Eagles took their first lead of the game, 3-2.
Entering the game on short notice, Smith had a masterful outing to quiet the Phoenix bats. Smith picked up her second win of the season and struck out a season-high six batters in six and a third innings of relief.
- Game 2 -
Rain began to fall as the game entered the bottom of the fifth inning and play was ultimately suspended due to lightning with two outs in the bottom of the sixth at 5:06 p.m.
Elon put two runners in scoring position in the third inning, but Georgia Southern starting pitcher Brianna Streetmon (Winder, Ga.) was strong in the circle and worked out of the jam. Two more Phoenix got on base with no outs in the fourth inning. Streetmon coaxed a pop up and the second out came on a lineout to short for two outs, but the Phoenix scored the breakthrough run on a single to go on top 1-0.
The
game picks up in the bottom of the sixth with Elon at bat with two
outs.
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.
