Eagles Swept at Georgia Tech, 1-0 and 5-1
4/11/2012 12:17:00 AM | Softball
ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia Southern Softball narrowly missed an upset win over Georgia Tech on Tuesday afternoon, dropping both games of a doubleheader from Mewborn Field in Midtown. Sarah Purvis (Warner Robins, Ga.) tossed a two-hitter in game one, but a first inning run was the difference. In game two the Eagles led early, but three errors in the contest led to a 5-1 Georgia Tech victory.
"Our pitching was very good today, but when you make mistakes like we did today, especially in game two, good teams will take advantage," said Head Coach Annie Smith. "We battled hard today and had some very good trips to the plate, but the errors in the field really hurt us today. The good thing is a game like this doesn't hurt us in the Southern Conference."
-GAME ONE-
Tech took an early lead in the first inning as the starting pitcher, Hope Rush helped out her own cause with a single up the middle to score Ashley Thomas from second base. After the hit, Purvis, the starting pitcher, retired the next 13 batters until the Yellow Jackets earned a leadoff hit in the sixth frame. Later in the sixth, Purvis hit a batter and walked another in the frame before retiring the final three outs of the inning in order to keep the Georgia Tech lead at just 1-0.
In the top of the seventh, a leadoff walk put a runner on first which advanced to second on an attempted sacrifice bunt. The Yellow Jackets threw to second base, failing to catch pinch runner Jorie Walker (Dublin, Ga.). Both Walker and fellow pinch runner Nicole Benton (Wrightsville, Ga.) moved up a base on Kourtny Thomas' (Warner Robins, Ga.) sacrifice bunt. The Eagles, however, would strand the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the seventh as Rush retired the final two batters on pop outs in the infield.
Purvis finished the afternoon with her second two-hitter against Georgia's power conference teams. She fanned nine Yellow Jackets in the appearance with a walk and two hit batters. She takes the hard-luck loss, falling to 13-7 on the season.
-GAME TWO-
After going quietly in the first two innings of game two, Tabby Douberley (Clyo, Ga.) broke open the third inning with a double to the gap in left. The two-bagger put her on second and pinch runner Breanna McLendon (Soperton, Ga.) on third. A walk to Lexi Allen (Cobbtown, Ga.) loaded the bases with no outs in the frame. A fielder's choice by Alexa Lewis (Lawrenceville, G.a) up the middle brought McLendon home for the Eagles' first run of the afternoon.
Starting pitcher Allie Miles (Dacula, Ga.) took a no-hitter into the fourth inning, but her bid was ended with one out in the frame as Kelsi Weseman singled with a liner up the middle. A second hit and an Eagle fielding error ended Miles' outing as Purvis returned for a second appearance in the doubleheader. Weseman scored off a bloop shot to center the dropped in as the Eagles recorded an out at second on the play. The run tied the score at 1-1 through four complete innings.
In the sixth inning the Eagles got a leadoff single from Lewis and a walk for Hanna Ennis (Snellville, Ga.) to put a runner in scoring position with no outs. Two lineouts in the infield and a fly ball to right stranded the two Eagles in the 1-1 game.
A two-out fielding error by Thomas left the door open for Georgia Tech to stay alive in the bottom of the sixth. After the error, Georgia Tech posted a single to right and a hit batter to load the bases. The Jackets then got a pair of doubles to score four runs in the inning and take a 5-1 advantage into the seventh inning.
Shelby Morrill (Madison, Ga.) opened the seventh with a double off the wall in centerfield, but she was doubled off on Thomas' line-out to second base later in the inning. Georgia Tech would retire the Eagles to take the 5-1 victory and hand Purivs her second loss of the afternoon, dropping her to 13-8 this year. She allowed just three hits in her two and two-thirds of an inning of work. None of the five runs scored in the game were earned.
This weekend Georgia Southern returns home for a three-game set against College of Charleston. Saturday's games begin at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. with Sunday's doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Sunday's game is the Eagles' annual Breast Cancer Awareness game. Georgia Southern will wear special pink jerseys for the contest The shirts can be purchased at Russell Union on campus Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at Saturday's games for $15 each. All proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen For The Cure Foundation.
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