PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Georgia State (23-16, 7-1 CAA) rallied to defeat host Drexel (8-19, 1-7 CAA), 3-2, in 10 innings in the opening game of a CAA doubleheader Saturday in Philadelphia. In the second game, GSU banged five home runs to win 7-3 as the Panthers improved to 23-16, 7-1 in the CAA.
Georgia State has now won seven straight games and 14 of the last 17. The Panthers improved to 7-1 in the CAA to move into second place all by themselves as James Madison lost earlier in the day to Delaware. It was GSU's sixth straight in the all-time series with Drexel as the Panthers now lead that series, 19-4.
Sophomore Paige Nowacki went 5-for-7 on the day with a homer, two RBI and three runs scored. Lauren Jones bombed two homers on the day to push her season total to nine.
The teams will return to the diamond for the third and final game of the series on Sunday with first pitch slated for 11 a.m. The game can be followed by Drexel live stats.
GAME ONE - Georgia State 3, Drexel 2 (10)
With the game tied at two in the top of the 10th inning, sophomore Audrey Mason singled, moved around the bases on sacrifices and then raced home on a passed ball by the catcher to provide the game-winning run as GSU won 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader.
The 10-inning game was the first for GSU since a 1-0 win last year at Panthersville against Hofstra. The Panthers improved to 2-1 in extra-inning games this season.
Drexel took a 2-0 lead on a two-run home run in the bottom of the 5th inning by leadoff hitter Rachel Campbell.
However, GSU came back to score a run in the sixth on Emily Whitaker's triple and a single by Megan Kallatsa. Next, GSU added a run in the seventh with singles by Brenna Morrissey and Jones, followed by a sacrifice fly from Nowacki that tied the game at 2-2.
The GSU pitching staff used a trio of arms to get the win, holding Drexel at bay for the final five innings. Alana Thomas started, Erin Collins relieved and then freshman Kaitlyn Medlam (7-1) finished with four innings and just one hit allowed, never allowing the Dragons to mount a threat in three extra innings.
Nowacki went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI to lead the Panthers.
Campbell had three hits and two RBI to lead the Dragons.
GAME TWO - Georgia State 7, Drexel 3
The steady pitching of McCall Langford (9-8) kept Drexel in check while the Panthers' bats went to work with the long ball, drilling five home runs as GSU completed the Saturday sweep with a 7-3 victory.
Four of those home runs came in double back-to-back situations in the seventh inning. Chelsea Sparks and Jessica Clifton led off the inning with back-to-back shots over the fence. Then, after one out, Lauren Jones and Paige Nowacki duplicated the back-to-back bombs to make it four homers in five at bats. Team leader Jones hit two home runs in the game to ring up numbers eight and nine on the season and move four homers away from tying the school record of 31 for career homers. Nowacki currently sports a nine-game hitting streak and is hitting .517 with 15 hits, seven RBI and four homers during that stretch.
GSU took the early lead in the second inning on a two-run single by Whitney Phillips. Clifton, Jones, Nowacki and Phillips each had two hits in the second game.
Langford picked up her ninth win by going 6.2 innings and allowing just three hits and one run. The lefty struck out four Dragons.
Drexel scored one run in the sixth on Devon Metcalf's sacrifice and two in the seventh on Rachel Campbell's two-run double.
