STATESBORO, GA. – Georgia Southern Softball took a 21-12 win over Binghamton to open their weekend at the 2015 Eagle Classic, but dropped Friday's second game, 7-6 to Campbell in nine innings. The win to open the day was the third-highest scoring game in program history as the Eagles picked up their first win of the season over the Bearcats.
GAME ONE – GS 21 – BINGHAMTON 12Eagle Softball recorded a historic offensive output in the 2015 home opener with the 21-12 win over Binghamton. The marathon contest, clocking in at a brisk 2:50, was the third-highest scoring game in Georgia Southern history and the first 20+ run game since April 2008.
Emily Snider opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the top of the first. She would go on to finish just a triple shy of the first cycle in program history. Snider also added two walks and four runs scored to tie the school record for runs in a single game. Leadoff hitter
Taylor Rogers tallied two hits and matched Snider for the school record with four runs scored. In all, 10 players in school history have scored four runs in a game.
AJ Hamilton went 1-for-5, but did damage with her hit, pounding a grand slam in the fifth inning as part of a five-run inning. Overall, the Eagles scored in six of their seven trips to the plate, including five in the fifth and seventh, and four in the third inning.
Binghamton was led by a 3-for-3 evening from Kate Richard while driving in three runs. Sydney Harbaugh scored three runs for the Bearcats.
Brooke Red earned her first win of the season by going seven innings and allowing six runs off seven hits. Freshman
Kierra Camp came on in relief and pitched the final three innings to earn the long save. She allowed the other six runs, with just one earned.
The contest also ranked as the third-most hits in a game for the Eagles with 18 and the third-most total bases with 29. Georgia Southern also worked eight walks and had two batters hit by pitches.
GAME TWO – GS 6 – CAMPBELL 7 – 9 Innings After an unbelievable opening game to the tournament, the Eagles dropped game two by a single run to Campbell in a contest that needed two extra frames to find a winner.
The Eagles drew first blood in the opening inning, continuing the offense with a Robinson double to plate Rogers who took a leadoff walk.
Campbell, however, not to be outdone, scored runs in the second and third inning as well as two in the fifth to take a 4-1 advantage through five complete innings.
RBI singles by Hamilton and
Lexi Allen, plus a bases loaded walk to Mann tied the game again headed to the seventh inning at 4-4. An infield grounder with runners on second and third drove in the go-ahead run for the Camels in the seventh, but a home run from Robinson with one out leveled the score yet again at 5-5 and sent the game to extra innings.
Neither team could get anything going in the eighth, but a two-run home run by Campbell put the visitors ahead 7-5 with three outs remaining for the Eagles.
A leadoff walk to Snider was followed by a pop out and three more walks to plate the Eagles' sixth run of the game and force the Camels into a pitching change with the bases still loaded. Back-to-back strikeouts ended the game as the Eagles dropped the contest 7-6 in nine innings.
The 2015 Eagle Classic continues this weekend with four games on Saturday and three more on Sunday. The Eagles' three remaining games can be seen live on GS All-Access. Neutral site games begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. For tickets to Georgia Southern athletics events, call 1-800-GSU-WINS or visit GSEagles.com.
