Walk-off Single Forces 'If Necessary Game' Between Cougars and Eagles
5/10/2013 4:21:00 PM | Softball
GAME HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY
GREENSBORO, N.C. – College of Charleston got an RBI single with two outs in the seventh inning to force an extra game in the semifinals of the 2013 SoCon Softball Tournament. The 3-2 win by Charleston over Georgia Southern forces a 3 p.m. "if necessary" game between the teams for a trip to the SoCon Championship Final.
"We out-hit Charleston and played a very good game, but they got the win," said Head Coach Annie Smith. "We're going to get something to eat and come back for another game at 3 p.m."
For the fifth-straight game Georgia Southern got runs in the opening frame as Shelby Morrill hit a two-run home run to right field. It was the third game in the tournament that the Eagles hit a home run in the first. The two-run blast also scored Kourtny Thomas who reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning. It was Morrill's sixth home run of the season and second in the postseason.
The Cougars answered in the second inning by stringing together three hits to tie the game 2-2. Kristy Giragosian hit a two-RBI single with two outs to draw the teams even at 2.
The Eagles had a chance to re-take the lead in the top of the fourth when pinch hitter Savanah Coon hit a single to left. The play looked good enough to plate Kaitlyn Johnson from second base, but the sophomore right fielder was cut down on a bang-bang play at the plate as the score remained at 2-2
In the bottom of that inning the Cougars threatened for their third run of the game, but a spectacular diving catch by senior Alexa Lewis in left ended the Charleston threat in the frame.
Charleston got the win in the seventh inning when a hit batter to leadoff the inning came around to score on Ashton Jarrett's RBI single to left. The Cougar hit a bleeder that dropped just in front of Lewis, allowing Rebecca Mueller to round third and beat the play at the plate.
Sarah Purvis held the Cougars to six hits and struck out two in the game, but took the loss to fall to 16-14 on the season. Hope Klicker came in and pitched five innings of relief to earn her 20th win of the season.
The Eagles and Cougars will square off again with a trip to the SoCon Championship Game on the line at 3 p.m. from UNCG's Spartan Softball Complex. The game can be seen live on SoConSports.com.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS.
