HIGHLIGHTS:
• Morgan Robinson hit a solo home run to start the scoring against UNF
• Dixie Raley tossed a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts
• A.J. Hamilton drove in a pair of runs in the Providence game
 
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – The Georgia Southern softball team opened up play at the EMU Madeira Beach Spring Invitational Friday with a 2-0 win over North Florida before falling to Providence 7-3 in eight innings.
 
GAME 1 – GS 2, UNF 0
Junior Morgan Robinson got the Eagles on the board in the top of the second inning when she took a first-pitch offering and nearly planted it in the Intracoastal Waterway, giving GS an early 1-0 lead with her first home run of the season. In the fourth inning, Lydia Witkowski reached on an error and proceeded to steal both second and third base before being driven in on a sac fly from Emily Snider.
 
The story of the game was the pitching performance of Raley, who picked up her first collegiate win, complete game and shutout. The freshman allowed just one infield single late in the game and walked two while striking out a career-high nine batters in seven innings of work.
 
Robinson and Rowan McGuire paced the offense, each picking up a pair of hits. Alesha Mann legged out an infield hit as well.
 
GAME 2 – PC 7, GS 3 (8)
Providence struck for two runs on three hits in the first inning to put GS in an early hole. The Eagles didn't panic and rallied back for two runs of their own in the bottom half of the first. Snider and Robinson scored on Hamilton's two-out single to right field to knot the game up.
 
The game remained tied until the top of the fifth inning when PC got its leadoff runner on via a single, moved to second on a sac bunt, to third on a ground out and scored on a slap single to left field.
 
In the seventh inning, with two outs, Robinson singled to the gap and Witkowski scampered around from first base to tie the game up. In the extra frame, PC plated four runs to take the win.
 
At the plate, GS had 10 hits, led by three from Lydia Witkowski and two apiece from Robinson and McGuire. Snider, Hamilton and Hannah Farrell each had one hit.
 
Kiera Camp took the loss in the circle. She went the distance, allowing seven runs (two earned) on nine hits with two walks and a strikeout.
 
The Eagles will return to action on Saturday, taking on Marist at 1:30 p.m. and Villanova at 4 p.m.