HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Georgia State junior Emily Whitaker hit her first career homer, a two-run walkoff in the bottom of the 12th inning, to give GSU a 3-2 victory over Towson in game two of the 2011 CAA Tournament. The Panthers advance in the winner's bracket, where they will battle archrival Hofstra at 12 p.m. on Thursday.
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the 12th with two outs, Whitaker stepped up to the plate with a runner at second after Audrey Mason walked to lead off the inning. Whitaker jumped all over a 1-1 pitch and took it well clear of the center field fence to give GSU (33-22) the dramatic 3-2 victory.
The 12-inning game tied for the longest game in CAA Tournament history, which also featured the Panthers, a GSU 3-1 win over Hofstra in 2009. It was the second year in a row GSU knocked off Towson (27-25) in extra-innings in the CAA Tournament. Last year the Panthers hit two home runs in the ninth inning to eliminate the Tigers.
It was the first time since 2007 that GSU has won game one in the CAA Tournament and advanced straight into the winner's bracket.
Runs were scarce in a pitcher's duel from the beginning. Towson starting pitcher Katie Lingmai (16-13) threw an incredible 179 pitches and gave up only one run through 11 innings, finishing with 11.2 innings pitched, allowing three runs on five hits. She struck out nine and walked six batters.
GSU used two pitchers as McCall Langford started and went six innings, allowing five hits and a run while striking out four. Reliever Kaitlyn Medlam (10-2) picked up the win as she also went six innings and allowed a run on two hits as she struck out five.
Neither team presented many serious threats throughout the game as the only runners to touch third base eventually scored.
Besides the gamewinner, Whitaker also broke up Lingmai's no-hit bid in the fifth inning, finishing with two hits on the day. Mason did not pick up a hit, but had three key walks and two runs scored. Maddy Stanton also had two walks.
The Tigers got on the board first in the top of the fifth as Bina Abbott hit a single deep in the infield hole that scored Jillian Donnelly from third.
GSU rallied in the seventh, where with one out, pinch hitter Chelsea Sparks knocked a single through the right side, scoring Mason and tying the game at one.
Towson took a late lead in the top of the 12th as Andrea Stevenson belted a homer over the right field fence to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning, setting the stage for Whitaker's heroics.
The four-team double elimination tournament will continue with three games on Thursday. After the opening game with the Panthers and the Pride, Delaware will face Towson in an elimination game, as the loser will be eliminated. The final game of the day will feature the loser of the GSU-Hofstra game and the winner of the Delaware-Towson game.
