Softball Earns Sun Belt Series Win On Senior Day

Friday, May 6

Statesboro

3 PM

Georgia Southern University

13-32, 6-17

Georgia State

18-31, 8-15

Georgia State

Georgia Southern

5/7/2022 5:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

Georgia Southern downs the Panthers, 8-3, in the completion of Friday night's suspended game; Georgia State takes game three, 4-3

STATESBORO - Georgia Southern softball earned a Sun Belt Conference series win over visiting Georgia State on Senior Day, taking the completion of Friday night's suspended contest by an 8-3 score. Georgia State captured the final game of the series, 4-3.

The Eagles (13-33, 6-18 SBC) earn the series win over the Panthers (19-31, 9-15 SBC) after taking Thursday's game one by a 3-2 score. Georgia Southern will be the No. 10 seed in the upcoming 2022 Sun Belt Conference Tournament and will take on the No. 7 seed on Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET in Mobile, Ala. The full tournament bracket will be released later on Saturday once all games have been completed.

Friday night, the Eagles and the Panthers played three and a half innings when rains halted play with Georgia State up by a 2-1 score. The two teams resumed the game on Saturday afternoon and Georgia State extended its lead to 3-1 on a Gabby Benson home run in the top of the fifth, but the Eagles sent 10 batters to the plate in a seven-run bottom of the fifth inning to come away with the 8-3 victory. Courtney Ball's three-run home run was the key hit of the frame, while senior Mary Grace Howard delivered a pair of runs on a pinch-hit two-run single, her first career hit as an Eagle.

Rylee Waldrep (6-13) earned the win with the complete-game six-hitter, giving up three runs and walking three while striking out six. Sophie Mooney (2-6) took the loss in relief for the Panthers, giving up three hits and five runs in 1/3 of an inning of work.

Ashlynn Gunter and Madi Banks each had three hits for the Eagles in the contest, while Faith Shirley and Olivia Creamer had two hits apiece.

In the final game of the series, a three-run home run by the Panthers' Carolyn Deady in the fifth inning put the Panthers up by a 4-0 score. Janai Conklin responded with a solo home run, her ninth of the year, in the bottom half of the fifth, then Creamer delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to one.

The Panthers' Hallie Adams worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning, however, to close out the win. Adams (5-12) scattered eight hits, giving up three runs - two earned - and striking out seven in the complete-game win. Kastin Belogorka (6-14) took the loss for the Eagles, giving up eight hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings of work, walking one and striking out one.

Prior to the day's action, the Eagles honored six seniors in a pre-game ceremony - outfielder Mary Grace Howard, outfielder Shelby Barfield, infielder Ashlynn Gunter, first baseman Faith Shirley, catcher Allyssah Mullis and pitcher Rylee Waldrep.