Saturday, February 22
Statesboro, GA
12:30 PM
Georgia Southern University
7-5
6
vs
2
Oakland
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Oakland
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
4
1
Georgia Southern
1
0
1
4
0
0
X
6
8
0
Photo by: AJ Henderson - Georgia Southern Athletics
Softball Sweeps Day Two of GATA Challenge on Saturday
2/22/2025 8:35:00 PM | Softball
Eagles moves to 8-5
STATESBORO – Kyla Maxwell's late game heroics lifted the Eagles over Campbell, 3-2, in extra innings after pushing past Oakland, 6-2, in game one as Georgia Southern softball swept day two of the GATA Challenge on Saturday at Beautiful Eagle Field.
Game One (Georgia Southern 6, Oakland 2)
Georgia Southern struck first in the opening frame after Emma Davis led off with a five-pitch walk, Valerie Combs doubled to right center to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead. The Eagles extended its lead in the third on a Payton Cushman RBI single to score Davis.
In the fourth inning, the Eagle offense continued scoring four runs on four hits to make it 6-0. Gracie Bellard recorded her first hit of the season, an RBI single up the middle to score Barth who reached on a fielding error. Davis and Combs tallied back-to-back RBI doubles to score the final three runs of the inning.
The Golden Grizzlies would cut into the deficit in the sixth on a two-run home run but the Eagle defense limited the damage to make the final 6-2.
Morgan Kendrick earned her second victory of the season tossing three complete innings in the start. The redshirt junior allowed just one hit and struck out two batters. In relief, Bailey Holland tossed four innings surrendering two runs on three hits.
Davis and Combs led the offense combining for four hits and four runs batted in.
Game Two (Georgia Southern 3, Campbell 2)
After three scoreless innings, Campbell got on the board first to take an early 1-0 lead. After back-to-back singles to lead off the inning an RBI single up the middle gave the Camels the lead.
Payton Cushman would tally the Eagles first hit of the game and Madi Gillespie followed with a single up the middle to put runners on with two outs. Faith Barth would even the score, 1-1, on an RBI double down the right field line to score pinch runner Madison Humber.
Nothing was doing in the seventh for either team as the Eagles would go to extra innings for the second time this season and international tie-breaker rules. In the eighth, the Camels would score on a sacrifice fly to take the lead before working the bases loaded but a 523 double play would end the bases loaded threat.
With a runner placed on second base in the ninth, the Eagles would induce a pop out and back-to-back groundouts to prevent the Camels from scoring a run.
Kyla Maxwell walked it off in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI double to plate Kayla Christensen to complete the Saturday sweep.
Maddie Johnson (4-2) tossed a career high nine complete innings to earn her fourth victory of the year. The freshman allowed just two runs in the contest, scattering seven hits and fanning six Camel batters.
Gillespie led the offense going 2-for-4 for her fifth multi-hit performance of the season.
Next Up
The Eagles are on the road for its first midweek matchup of the season traveling to Mercer. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and is set to be broadcasted on ESPN+
Game One (Georgia Southern 6, Oakland 2)
Georgia Southern struck first in the opening frame after Emma Davis led off with a five-pitch walk, Valerie Combs doubled to right center to give the Eagles an early 1-0 lead. The Eagles extended its lead in the third on a Payton Cushman RBI single to score Davis.
In the fourth inning, the Eagle offense continued scoring four runs on four hits to make it 6-0. Gracie Bellard recorded her first hit of the season, an RBI single up the middle to score Barth who reached on a fielding error. Davis and Combs tallied back-to-back RBI doubles to score the final three runs of the inning.
The Golden Grizzlies would cut into the deficit in the sixth on a two-run home run but the Eagle defense limited the damage to make the final 6-2.
Morgan Kendrick earned her second victory of the season tossing three complete innings in the start. The redshirt junior allowed just one hit and struck out two batters. In relief, Bailey Holland tossed four innings surrendering two runs on three hits.
Davis and Combs led the offense combining for four hits and four runs batted in.
Game Two (Georgia Southern 3, Campbell 2)
After three scoreless innings, Campbell got on the board first to take an early 1-0 lead. After back-to-back singles to lead off the inning an RBI single up the middle gave the Camels the lead.
Payton Cushman would tally the Eagles first hit of the game and Madi Gillespie followed with a single up the middle to put runners on with two outs. Faith Barth would even the score, 1-1, on an RBI double down the right field line to score pinch runner Madison Humber.
Nothing was doing in the seventh for either team as the Eagles would go to extra innings for the second time this season and international tie-breaker rules. In the eighth, the Camels would score on a sacrifice fly to take the lead before working the bases loaded but a 523 double play would end the bases loaded threat.
With a runner placed on second base in the ninth, the Eagles would induce a pop out and back-to-back groundouts to prevent the Camels from scoring a run.
Kyla Maxwell walked it off in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI double to plate Kayla Christensen to complete the Saturday sweep.
Maddie Johnson (4-2) tossed a career high nine complete innings to earn her fourth victory of the year. The freshman allowed just two runs in the contest, scattering seven hits and fanning six Camel batters.
Gillespie led the offense going 2-for-4 for her fifth multi-hit performance of the season.
Next Up
The Eagles are on the road for its first midweek matchup of the season traveling to Mercer. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and is set to be broadcasted on ESPN+
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kendrick, Morgan (2-2)
L: Alyssa Balcom (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Kamryn Troyer 1
RBI: Kamryn Troyer 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Rees Ruhlman 1 ; Kamryn Troyer 1
Batting:
2B: Davis, Emma 1 ; Combs, Valerie 2
RBI: Davis, Emma 1 ; Combs, Valerie 3 ; Cushman, Payton 1 ; Bellard, Gracie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Davis, Emma 3 ; Barth, Faith 1 ; Christensen, Kayla 1 ; Bellard, Gracie 1
SB: Davis, Emma 2
CS: Combs, Valerie 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
rf/1b
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
C/UT
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
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