STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia State softball team split a pair of games Wednesday against Georgia Southern winning game one, 3-1, before dropping game two, 8-7. The Panthers are now 5-2, while the Eagles are 3-4. GSU returns to action on Thursday when the Panthers host Siena. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.
In game one, a Lily Skelton three-run homer powered the Panthers past the Eagles, while in game two, the Eagles scored seven runs in the first to take down GSU despite a late GSU rally pushed it to a one run game.
Game One - Georgia State 3, Georgia Southern 1
Senior Lily Skelton knocked her second home run of the season in the the top of the first inning to give the Panthers an early 3-0 lead as GSU defeated the Eagles, 3-1, in game one of the doubleheader. The right field smash scored sophomore Cassie Boese and senior Danielle Roddy.
Starting pitcher Alana Thomas (2-0) hurled five scoreless innings allowing only four hits. Thomas now claims a 1.72 ERA thus far this season. Freshman McCall Langford picked up the save after pitching two innings and allowing only a solo home run by Eagles' catch MacKenzie Williams.
The Eagles put a lot of balls into play, but strong defensive play by the Panthers held Georgia Southern in check. Senior Rachel Cunningham had eight assists to lead the team, while senior first baseman Lauren Jones had 15 putouts.
Game Two - Georgia Southern 8, Georgia State 7
A seven-run first inning and an insurance run in the fourth for the Eagles proved too much for the Panthers to overcome as Georgia Southern defeated GSU, 8-7, in game two of the doubleheader.
After starting pitcher Erin Collins and relief pitcher Elizabeth Thomas failed to record an out while giving up seven runs, Langford came in and recorded three straight outs. The Eagles were led during the inning by Sam Russo and Jenny Side to take a 7-1 lead after one. Russo blasted a three-run homer and Side doubled down the left field line to score two.
The Panthers clawed back, however, scoring two runs in the third and one in the fourth. A Megen Smith solo homer in the bottom of the fourth halted the Panthers momentum making the score, 8-4.
In the sixth inning the Panther bats came alive. Freshmen Paige Nowacki hit her second home run of the season to make the score, 8-5. A pair of doubles from Cunningham and junior Tiffany Bess added another two runs to the board but the inning offered no more runs as the Panthers left one on base as the inning ended. For the game, GSU left 12 batters on base.
Leading the way for Georgia Southern was Smith, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Russo and Side tallied three and two RBI, respectively. Georgia State was paced by Nowacki, who was 2-for-3 with a homer and two walks. Cunningham was 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Emily Althafer had a pair of RBI.
After coming in relief, Langford (2-0) pitched six innings allowing only one run on five hits. Through 18 innings the LaGrange, Ga., native has a slim 1.56 ERA.
Kaitlynn Szczepanski picked up the win for the Eagles after coming in for starter Brianna Streetmon.
