ATLANTA -- The Georgia State softball team pounded out 20 runs in two games and the GSU pitching staff allowed only one run and five hits as the Panthers swept a Saturday doubleheader from Delaware, 12-1 and 8-0, both in five innings.
Alana Thomas (6-6) earned the win in game one, allowing two hits and a run in five innings, and McCall Langford (10-8) tossed a three-hit shutout in game two.
Sophomore Brenna Morrissey went 4-for-5 on the day with five RBI and three runs scored to pace the Panthers.
The Panthers have won 17 of their last 21 games and are off to their best start ever in CAA play. GSU is tied with Hofstra for first place in the race to host the 2011 CAA Tournament.
Sunday's series finale begins at noon and can be followed on GSU's live stats.
GAME ONE: Georgia State 12, Delaware 1 (5)
The Panthers produced nine hits, added six walks and forced two Delaware errors, as they defeated the Blue Hens, 12-1, in game one.
The top three in GSU's lineup all had at least two hits and one RBI. Senior Lauren Jones had three RBI to pace GSU, while Morrissey had two.
Balanced scoring saw the Panthers score four in the first, one in the second, four in the third and three in the fourth.
GSU got on the board early in the first. After Jessica Clifton doubled, Jones and sophomore Paige Nowacki walked to load the bases for Audrey Mason. The Kennesaw, Ga., native hit a sac fly that scored Clifton. After starting pitcher Anne Marie Pagano hit Emily Whitaker, reliever Amanda Stacevicz entered the game. With the bases loaded, Maddy Stanton hit a shot to right field that appeared to be caught by second baseman Michelle McKinnon. However, right fielder Gina Knutson ran into McKinnon causing the ball to fly out of her glove and allowing all three Panther baserunners to make it home to push the lead to 4-1.
Jones' RBI single in the second pushed the lead to 5-1 as Morrissey scored from third.
Whitney Phillips hit a sacrifice fly in the third to score Mason and get another four-run inning started. Back-to-back singles by Morrissey and Jones scored Whitaker, Clifton and Stanton to give GSU a 9-1 lead.
GSU pushed the lead to 12-1 in the fourth after Megan Kallatsa walked, scoring Whitaker, and Clifton singled through the left side, scoring Stanton. Morrissey singled up the middle, bringing home Phillips to give GSU its final run of the game.
Thomas showed great control in the circle, striking out three batters while walking none to even her record at 6-6 on the year. In CAA play, the Athens, Ga., native has a 2-1 record with a 0.59 ERA.
Clifton went 3-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored, while Morrissey went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Jones had a 2-for-3 day with three RBI, a walk and one run scored. Whitaker had two walks and three runs scored.
Delaware scored its only run of the day in the top of the first inning after Lara Andrews singled up the middle to score Jenny Richards.
GAME TWO: Georgia State 8, Delaware 0 (5)
GSU plated five runs in the bottom of the fourth to put a close 3-0 game out of reach, and Langford put out the final three batters in the top of the fifth to run-rule the Blue Hens in game two, 8-0.
Leading 3-0, singles by Phillips and Kallatsa and a walk by Clifton loaded the bases for Morrissey. The Salem, N.H., native promptly singled up the middle, scoring all three base runners after a throw from center bounced off pinch runner Chelsea Sparks as she was crossing home plate, allowing Clifton to sneak home. A double by Nowacki scored Morrissey, and a single by Mason scored Nowacki to give GSU an 8-0 lead.
That would be all starting pitcher Langford would need as she allowed only three hits to pick up her 10th win of the season. Langford was helped by some strong defense, most noticably from the infielders, who fielded seven grounders and caught two pop ups. Langford is now 5-0 with a 0.72 ERA in CAA games.
Three batters drove in all of GSU's eight runs. Morrissey went 2-for-2 with three RBI, a walk and two runs scored. Nowacki went 2-for-2 with two RBI, two doubles, a walk and two run scored, while Mason also was 2-for-2 with three RBI, a walk and a run scored.
Mason got GSU started in the second with a two-run bomb to left center, scoring Nowacki. It was Mason's third of the season. Another runner crossed the plate in the third as Nowacki doubled to center field, scoring Morrissey.
