GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Georgia Southern softball squad continued its best start in school history by picking up a pair of wins at the UF Aquafina Invitational on Saturday morning in Gainesville, Fla. The Eagles defeated Maryland, 4-1, and Illinois State, 7-0, to improve to 10-3 on the season.

Georgia Southern's 10-3 record is the quickest start to 10 wins for Eagle softball in school history, eclipsing the 10-5 start achieved by the 2014 squad. The Eagles will wrap up action in the Invitational on Sunday, taking on host and top-ranked Florida at 1:30 p.m. 

"We had two very good pitching performances today by Rylee and Kierra," Georgia Southern Head Coach Kim Dean said. "We had a good offensive day in game one, getting timely hitting and taking advantage of our opportunities.

"Game two, we just continued to execute when needed, scoring in multiple innings," Dean said. "It was an all around good day. We're excited to have momentum going into tomorrow's final game, and looking forward to taking on the number one-ranked team in the nation."

The first game saw the Eagles get out to a quick lead on Macy Coleman's two-run home run in the bottom of the first that put Georgia Southern up, 2-0. Maryland plated a run in the third inning, and the 2-1 score remained until the bottom of the sixth. With two on and two out, a single to right with Mekhia Freeman at second base resulted in a play at the plate. Freeman was initially ruled out, ending the inning, but a conversation between the officials reversed the call, ruling obstruction on the catcher and allowing Freeman's run to count. Logan Harrell followed with an RBI single to cap the scoring.

Rylee Waldrep (3-1) hurled the complete game for the Eagles to notch the win, giving up six hits and one unearned run, walking one one while striking out three. Ryan Denhart (1-5) took the loss for the Terrapins, giving up 10 hits and four runs - two earned - in 5 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out two.

Logan Harrell went 3-for-4 while Coleman drove in two with her first-inning home run.

In the second game, Georgia Southern again started quickly as Logan Harrell's RBI double plated India Davis for a first-inning 1-0 lead. The second inning featured a Sydney Fisher RBI single, then a three-run home run from Alesha Mann for a 5-0 advantage.

An error allowed a run to score for the Eagles in the third, then Allyssah Mullis' RBI single in the fourth capped the 7-0 score.

Camp (6-1) hurled seven innings of two-hit ball, walking five but striking out three in a 113-pitch performance to pick up the win. Morgan Day (1-3) for Illinois State took the loss, giving up five hits and five runs in 1 2/3 innings of work, walking one while striking out one.

Sydney Fisher went 2-for-4 in game two for the Eagles, while Mann's three-run shot in the second inning was her third home run of the season.