Softball Sweeps Jacksonville in Midweek Twinbill
3/7/2013 3:08:47 AM | Softball
VIDEO: Postgame Interview with Head Coach Annie Smith
BOX SCORE (GAME ONE) // BOX SCORE (GAME TWO)
STATESBORO, GA. – Georgia Southern Softball took two games from Jacksonville on Wednesday night in the first midweek series of the 2013 season. GSU got close to the first cycle in program history with two runs at the elusive feat in game one. The Eagles open SoCon play this weekend at Elon.
“I thought we did a very good job at the plate today,” said Head Coach Annie Smith. “We had two very good games hitting the ball and got some nice balls up the middle to score runs from hitters throughout our lineup. I think the tough non-conference season we’ve played so far helped prepare us to get these two wins tonight.”
-GAME ONE-
Georgia Southern got a pair of cycle bids in game one from Alexa Lewis and Shelby Morrill. Lewis came a triple shy of the cycle while Morrill was a home run shy of becoming in the first batter in program history to hit for the cycle. Behind those two stellar performances, Georgia Southern took the 9-5 win.
The Dolphins struck first in the top of the first with a pair of runs off two hits, but Georgia Southern answered back in the bottom of the first with three runs of their own. Lewis scored easily after Lexi Allen’s stolen base resulted in an error by the JU shortstop as the ball dribbled into centerfield. Allen crossed later in the frame on a triple by Morrill. Another error by the Jacksonville shortstop with two outs allowed Morrill to score and give the Eagles a 3-2 lead.
Lewis came in to score again in the second inning when she lofted a ball into the jet stream for her first home run of the season to the gap in left. GSU added another run in the third when back-to-back doubles allowed Morrill to score off a slap from Tabby Doublerley.
The Eagles tacked a single run in the fourth when Morrill plated Lewis with a single. Three more runs came in during the fifth inning including two off the bat of Allen. Jacksonville scored one run in the fourth and two in the fifth inning to cut the Georgia Southern advantage to 9-5.
Brooke Red went the first four innings and earned her third win of the season while Allie Miles worked the final three innings to pick up her first save of the season.
-GAME TWO-
Georgia Southern took the sweep with a 5-3 win in game two. The Dolphins scored two in the seventh and had the tying run in scoring position with one out in the seventh, but the Eagles worked out of the jam to cement the victory.
The Eagles’ hot hitting from game one continued into game two as the Eagles scored two runs off a single by Doublerley and added a third on a double by Andrea Tarashuk, giving GSU a 3-0 advantage.
Doublerley crossed with two outs in the third inning thanks to a fielding error by the JU shortstop to extend the advantage to 4-0. An inning later, Thomas bolstered the Georgia Southern advantage with a towering home run to centerfield, her fifth long-ball of the season.
Jacksonville swam back against the tide in the seventh inning, hitting a two-run home run to cut the lead to 5-3. Allie Miles came on in relief to pick up her second save of the day, nailing down the victory in relief of Sarah Purvis. Purvis fanned 10 batters in the game for her sixth win of the season.
Georgia Southern opens SoCon play this weekend with a trip to face Elon in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad. The series will be the first league set at Elon’s new softball stadium which is located on the north end of campus.
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