Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 STATESBORO, Ga. - The Kim Dean Era got off to a smashing success - just a day later than expected - as the Georgia Southern softball team swept a pair of games Saturday at the Eagle Round Robin. After getting rained out on Friday, GS opened the season with a 3-2 win over Austin Peay before holding on for a 5-4 win over Murray State.

In the opener, Mekhia Freeman's three-run blast in the second inning held up as Rylee Waldrep's complete game lifted the Eagles to a win. In the back end of the double dip, Shelby Wilson picked up three hits and drove in four runs while Kierra Camp struck out seven in the circle as GS held on to beat the Racers.

GS 3, APSU 2
Sophomore and preseason All-Sun Belt selection Mekhia Freeman got the Eagles on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a monstrous home run off the scoreboard to make it 3-0, driving in Sydney Fisher and India Davis, who both reached on hits.

The Governors battled back into it, scoring a run in the third inning and another in the fourth inning on a leadoff home run from pitcher Morgan Rackel to make it 3-2.

The game was interrupted by a 28-minute rain delay in the middle of the fifth inning, but it couldn't slow down freshman pitcher Rylee Waldrep, who was dazzling in her collegiate debut. The Alabama native went the distance, allowing two runs on six hits with five strikeouts against two walks.

At the plate, Davis led the way with a pair of hits while Freeman, Fisher, Alesha Mann and Logan Harrell all had one.

The win was the first for head coach Kim Dean as the leader of the Eagles. She went 38-14 at Armstrong State in her lone season in Savannah, leading the Pirates to a third-place finish at the D-2 National Championship. Both ASU players who moved over to GS in the consolidation - Harrell and Macy Coleman - started for the Eagles.

GS 5, MSU 4
The Eagles wasted little time in getting on the board in the second game, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning on a two-run double to the gap from sophomore Shelby Wilson. Her shot drove in Freeman and Mann to make it 2-0. In the bottom of the second inning, Freeman's liner to the gap drove in pinch runner Haley Carter to extend the lead to three runs. Wilson then drove in Freeman with a shot up the middle to make it 4-0.

In the fifth inning, Wilson's single to right field drove in Mann to make it 5-0. The Racers didn't give up as they mounted a furious rally in the sixth inning to make it 5-4. Kierra Camp walked in a run and then Dani Walls plated three runs on a bases-loaded double to the gap. Camp buckled down and got the final out of the inning and three more in the seventh to preserve the win.

Wilson led the way at the plate with a game-high three hits and four RBIs while Freeman had two more hits. Also picking up hits were Mann, Fisher, Davis and Mullis.

Camp went the distance, allowing four runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and four walks.

The Eagles (2-0) will be back in action in Sunday. The revised schedule will be announced when it is completed.