STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern softball team split a pair of games Saturday at the Eagle Classic, falling first to Marshall 8-6 in a thriller before rallying past South Carolina State 18-10 in six innings in an equally thrilling affair.

MU 8, GS 6
The Thundering Herd struck for two runs in the third inning as GS starter Kierra Camp ran into trouble. She limited the damage though, stranding two runners in scoring position. In the fifth inning, Shaelynn Braxton launched a three-run home run to make it 5-0. The Eagles would then mount a furious comeback to make it exciting in front of a large home crowd.

The Eagles responded in the bottom of the fifth inning when Mekhia Freeman's double to the gap plated India Davis and Lydia Witkowski. Freeman scored on Morgan Robinson's single and then Emily Snider scored on a passed ball to cut the deficit to one run. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Freeman, lifted her second home run of the season to right field to tie it up. Snider then tripled off the wall and trotted home on Robinson's frozen rope up the middle to give the Eagles their first lead of the day.

The Herd didn't flinch, scoring the equalizer quickly and then getting a two-run, pinch hit home run from Ali Burdette to take an 8-6 lead. The Eagles couldn't mount one last comeback in the bottom half of the inning to drop the contest.

Witkowski's three singles led the way while Freeman, Robinson and Snider had two hits apiece.

Camp didn't factor into the decision. The junior went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs while striking out one. Dixie Raley took the loss after giving up the lead in the seventh inning. She went 1 2/3 innings, picking up two strikeouts.

GS 18, SCSU 10 (6) 
The Eagles jumped all over the Bulldogs early, scoring two runs in the first inning. After Snider drew a walk, Robinson's double down the line plated her to make it 1-0. Robinson eventually scored on a wild pitch. In the second inning, Alesha Mann scored on Wilson's infield single before Wilson scored on a squeeze bunt from India Davis. Witkowski's single to center field plated Abby Broome and later in the inning Robinson launched a monstrous three-run home run to right field to make it 8-0.

The Bulldogs scored two runs in the fourth inning and then eight runs in the fifth frame thanks to several GS miscues in the field to take the lead at 10-8. 

In the sixth inning, Freeman and Snider singled before Robinson drew a walk to load the bases. Hannah Farrell and Mann drew bases-loaded walks to tie the game up. Wilson's sacrifice fly gave the Eagles the lead back at 11-10. Michelle Mazur thn picked up an RBI on a pinch-hit single to right field to score pinch runner Andrea McKenzie and pad the lead at two runs. The Eagles scored an unearned run before Snider's single drove in two more. The game ended on the mercy rule with Robinson singling to plate two runs to cap a 10-spot and give the Eagles the eight-run win.

GS pounded out 15 hits in the game, led by Robinson's three. The senior also had six RBIs and scored three runs. Abby Broome, Farrell, Wilson and Snider all had two hits apiece while Witkowski, Freeman, Mazur and Davis all had one.

Raley got the start but was quickly pulled after the Eagles went up early. The sophomore went just an inning and didn't factor into the decision as she picked up three strikeouts. Heather Felt, Kaylee Ramos and Amanda Chambers all saw action in the circle with Chambers getting the win. 

The 18 runs scored are the eighth-most in program history while Robinson's six RBIs are tied for the second-most in school history.

UP NEXT:
The Eagles wrap up play at their home tournament on Sunday, taking on Delaware State at 1:30 p.m., before wrapping up with Presbyterian at 3:30 p.m.