GAME FOUR - Georgia State 10, Morehead State 7
ATLANTA -- Lauren Jones and Emily Whitaker drove in three runs each as the Georgia State softball team defeated Morehead State in a high-scoring affair, 10-7, in the last game of day one at the First Pitch Classic.
Trailing 4-1 after a three-run homer by Morehead's Kayla Ashbrook, the Panthers responded in the bottom of the third inning, starting with Jones' first homer of the young season, a three-run blast to tie the game at four. From there, mistakes by the Eagles led to three more runs. A throwing error by pitcher Jami Whitcomb led to two runs, while a Cassie Boese single drove in Emily Whitaker.
GSU pulled away in the next inning when Whitaker hit a double to the gap in left center that scored three runs.
The Eagles picked up two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh off relief pitcher Alana Thomas, but a pop up to Boese ended the contest. Spurred on by the offensive outburst, junior Erin Collins (1-0) picked up the win. Boese, Jones and sophomore Audrey Mason all notched two hits, while four Panthers all scored two runs each.
GSU returns to action tomorrow when the Panthers battle 2-0 Syracuse at 12:15 p.m. and 0-2 Morehead State at 2:30 p.m. Both games will be available via live statistics. The Orange and the Eagles will kick off the day at 10 a.m.
GAME TWO - Georgia State 3, Tennessee Tech 2
ATLANTA -- Georgia State's Audrey Mason stole home in the bottom of the seventh inning to score the winning run as the Panthers defeated Tennessee Tech, 3-2, to open the 2011 season.
With the game tied at two in the bottom of the seventh, Mason opened the inning with a line drive single down the left field line. After a sacrifice bunt by junior Emily Althafer advanced Mason to second, a Chelsea Sparks walk and a wild pitch put runners at the corners with Whitney Phillips at the plate. After a swinging strike, Sparks took off towards second and as the catcher attempted to throw out the redshirt sophomore, Mason darted home for the winning run.
The Panthers open the year 1-0, while Tech dropped its second one-run game of the day to fall to 0-2. Freshman Kaitlyn Medlam (1-0) earned the first win of her career, entering in relief of starter McCall Langford in the fifth inning and pitching 1.2 innings of no-hit softball. Langford gave up eight hits and two runs over 5.1 innings, including a two-run homer in the fourth to Callie Schmidt.
Having produced only one hit through four innings and trailing 2-0, the Panthers got on the board with a two-run homer by Althafer, the first of her career.
Leading the Panthers in hits was third baseman Megan Kallatsa, who knocked a pair of singles.
GAME ONE - Syracuse 2, Tennessee Tech 1
Syracuse catcher Lacey Kohl and designated player Hallie Gibbs each produced RBI for the Orange as they defeated Tennessee Tech in game one of the Georgia State First Pitch Classic.
GAME THREE - Syracuse 9, Morehead State 0 (6)
A six-run sixth inning from the Orange gave them their second victory of the day. Hallie Gibbs had three RBI to lead the Orange.
