STATESBORO - Georgia Southern softball split a pair of games on the first day of the 2023 GATA Challenge at Eagle Field on Friday afternoon. The Eagles defeated North Carolina A&T, 4-0, but fell to Middle Tennessee, 11-2, in six innings.
In the other action in the GATA Challenge on Friday, Middle Tennessee defeated North Carolina A&T, 8-0, in five innings.
Day two of the GATA Challenge begins on Saturday with Middle Tennessee and North Carolina A&T facing off at 11 a.m. The Eagles then face Middle Tennessee at 1:30 p.m. and North Carolina A&T at 4 p.m.
GAME ONE: Georgia Southern 4, North Carolina A&T 0
Redshirt freshman Morgan Kendrick fired a one-hitter, striking out a season-high 13 batters, and the Eagles plated two runs in the third and sixth innings for the victory.
Kendrick improved to 3-0 on the season, giving up a lone single in the sixth inning while walking four in the complete-game victory. Her 13 strikeouts are the most for a Georgia Southern pitcher since Dixie Raley had 14 against App State on April 10, 2016.
The Eagles scored twice in the third as Dejah Mills and Kinley Stewart each drew bases-loaded walks. Georgia Southern then got back-to-back RBI singles from Faith Barth and Emma Davis in the sixth for the final margin.
Brooke Kell had two hits and two runs scored for the Eagles, while Barth had two hits and an RBI.
GAME TWO: Middle Tennessee 11, Georgia Southern 2
Middle Tennessee's Laura Mealer was perfect from the plate, going 3-for-3 with a single, a double and a home run to lead the Blue Raiders past the Eagles in Friday's final game of the GATA Challenge.
The Blue Raiders scored twice in the first and third innings, then plated three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth. Georgia Southern extended the game in the bottom of the fifth as Faith Barth's sacrifice fly scored Olivia Creamer and Emma Davis' RBI single made the score 9-2.
in the sixth, the Blue Raiders added a pair of runs to close out the win.
The Eagles' best chance to score came in the fourth as Emma Davis and Janai Conklin each singled, but Middle Tennessee's Gretchen Mead struck out the next three batters to escape the threat.
Mead (3-1) limited the Eagles to four hits and two unearned runs in six innings of work, striking out eight to earn the win. Graceanne Spears (1-3) took the loss for the Eagles in the circle, giving up four hits and four runs - three earned - in 2 2/3 innings of work, walking three while striking out two.
Emma Davis had two hits and an RBI to lead the Eagles offensively in game two.
