Eagles Stun Kentucky, Fall to Radford at Eagle Classic
2/26/2012 4:07:00 AM | Softball
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern Softball scored its biggest win of the season on Saturday afternoon against Kentucky, stunning the Wildcats 2-1 in eight innings at the 2012 Eagle Classic presented by SpringHill Suites of Statesboro. In the night cap, however, the Eagles dropped a 6-4 decision to Radford.
- Game 1 - GSU 2, Kentucky 1 (8) -
Georgia Southern took a 1-0 lead in the third inning on the heels of two Kentucky errors. Jorie Walker (Warner Robins, Ga.) reached on an error by the Kentucky second baseman, moving to second on a wild pitch. Senior Marie Fogle (Rincon, Ga.) grounded to short, but a high throw got away from the Wildcats, allowing Walker to score.
Kentucky's starting pitcher kept the Eagles without a hit until the bottom of the sixth when Fogle dropped a bunt to the UK pitcher. Her spot on the bases, however, was erased later in the frame on a double play.
Starting pitcher Sarah Purvis (Warner Robins, Ga.) kept the Wildcats without a run into the seventh inning. Kentucky worked an inning-opening single around for a run in the top of the frame and tie the game at 1-1
In the bottom of the inning, Kourtny Thomas (Warner Robins, Ga.) laced a ball up the middle for a single with one out and reached second base on a walk by Tabby Douberley (Clyo, Ga.). They both advanced to second and third with two outs, bringing Alexa Lewis (Lawrenceville, Ga.) to the plate with two outs. The Eagles left fielder, however, popped up to second base as the game went to extra innings.
Kentucky went quietly in the top of the eighth despite advancing the international tiebreaker runner to third base. In the bottom of the frame, Lewis started on second base, reaching third on Fogle's ground out. Mackenzie Williams (Baxley, Ga.) came up aces, driving in the winning run for a thrilling 2-1 victory with a single through the left side.
Purvis handcuffed the Kentucky batters, scattering seven hits around the one run with six strikeouts in eight innings, her longest outing of the season. She moves to 4-3 on the year with the win. On the losing end was Kentucky's Lauren Cumbess who allowed three Eagle hits and no earned runs. She struck out five and walked three.
- Game 2 - GSU 4, Radford 6 -
The Eagles, however, could not remain undefeated with a 6-4 loss at the hands of Radford. The Highlanders scored one in the first, getting to starting pitcher Brooke Red (Warner Robins, Ga.) and putting an end to her 23.0 innings without allowing a run as Radford lifted a home run in the first.
Radford tacked on three more runs in the third before Georgia Southern got off the mark with a pair of runs off the bat of Andrea Tarashuk (Flemington, N.J.) her hit through the right side plated two runs. Two innings later in the fifth, Thomas delivered her third home run of the season, a two-run bomb to tie the game at 4-4.
The Highlanders, however, scored two more in the sixth of two runs and three Georgia Southern errors. The Eagles were tagged with six on the night, a season-high. GSU could not answer in the final two trips to the plate, finishing the game with six-straight ground ball outs.
The Eagles close the 2012 Eagle Classic on Sunday afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. game against North Florida. The final day of play begins at 9:30 a.m. with Albany facing Radford.
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