STATESBORO - The Georgia Southern softball team split on the opening day of the GATA Challenge, rallying to down Maine 9-4 before narrowly falling to UT-Martin 4-3.
GAME 1: In the opener, the Eagles fought through a slow start to take down Maine, 9-4. The Eagles fell behind 4-0, but battled back in the third inning with a pair of runs.
Courtney Ball scored on an error and then
Jess Mazur drove in
Ashleigh Duty with a sac fly to cut into the lead. Southern put up a six spot in the fourth inning, highlighted by
Faith Shirley's three-run home run to take the lead for the first time in the game.
Jess Mazur's solo home run in the sixth inning accounted for the final tally.
GS SCORING PLAYS
B3: Duty singled to third base, bunt, advanced to second on a throwing error by 3b (1-0); Ball scored, unearned
B3: Mazur flied out to cf, SF, RBI (0-0); Duty scored, unearned
B4: Ball singled to left field, advanced to second on the throw, RBI (1-1); Caldwell advanced to third; Johnson scored
B4: Barfield singled to third base, bunt, RBI (0-1); Ball advanced to third; Caldwell scored
B4: Shirley homered to left field, 3 RBI (2-0); Barfield scored; Ball scored
B4: Conklin flied out to cf, SF, RBI (1-0); Mazur scored
B6: Mazur homered to left center, RBI (0-1)
Mazur led the way at the plate with a pair of hits, a home run and a triple. She drove in two runs and scored a pair, as well. Also picking up hits were Ball, Duty,
Shelby Barfield, Shirley (3 RBI) and
Ashlynn Gunter.
Rylee Waldrep (W, 2-1) went four innings, allowing four runs with two strikeouts.
Kastin Belogorska (S, 1) picked up the save with three innings of shutout work.
GAME 2: UT-Martin used three long balls to down the Eagles, 4-3, despite a pair of home runs from Shirley. Katie Dreilling hit a two-run shot in the third inning before Shirley got the Eagles to back within a run with her third home run of the season. The Skyhawks added two more solo home runs but another home run from Shirley in the sixth inning brought the Eagles back to within one run. The Eagles couldn't get the equalizer in the seventh despite the winning run getting on base.
GS SCORING PLAYS
B4: Shirley homered to left center, RBI (0-0)
B6: Shirley homered to right field, 2 RBI (1-1); Caldwell scored
Shirley led the ways with a pair of hits, both home runs and
Chandler Caldwell had the hits for the Eagles.
Kyleigh Richardson (L, 1-1) went 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Belosgorska pitched the final 2.2 innings, allowing just two hits while striking out three.
With three home runs on Friday, Shirley passed AJ Hamilton for eighth place on the school's all-time home run chart and now has 26 round trippers.
UP NEXT: The Eagles (4-3) will be back action Saturday on Day 2 of the GATA Challenge, taking on UT-Martin at 12:30 p.m. and Maine at 3 p.m.
