ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia State's remarkable softball season that included the school's first Colonial Athletic Association championship ended on Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Regionals with a 6-1 loss to the Atlantic Coast Conference champion Florida State Seminoles.
GSU ends its season at 36-25. The 36 wins is eighth most in school history. During the game, senior Lauren Jones hit her 14th homer of the season and her 32nd of her career, a new GSU career record.
Florida State (31-27) advances in the loser's bracket to play UAB in the late game on Saturday night.
Following the game GSU interim head coach Roger Kincaid talked about the season and the NCAA Regionals' experience.
"The amazing part to me is that these kids did not change their personalities because of the stage they were on," said Kincaid. "They were doing the same things they did that got us here. They were crazy on the bus. They were crazy after the game. They were crazy before the game. They threw the bats up in the air in the outfield to get the bats started. They did the same obnoxious, crazy cheers that they do in the dugout to make me laugh when the tension is at its highest. Most of the time, a coach is supposed to pick a team up. This is a team effort. We talk about the big team, little me idea. That's been one of our mottos. As a coach, I've never been around a group of athletes that, when I start to get down, they pick me up every time. When they start to get down, they pick each other up. This is a once in a lifetime experience that we will never forget and I'm so thankful to be a part of it."
Whitney Phillips, Brenna Morrissey and Jones notched GSU's four hits on the day.
The Seminoles struck first in the second inning with two outs already on the board. Kristie McConn hit a RBI double to rightcenter field to score the first run, and a fielding error on Paige Nowacki allowed McConn to scamper home for the early 2-0 lead.
GSU had a great opportunity in the third inning after a leadoff walk and hit by pitch that put runners at first and second with no outs. However, a fielder's choice and double play quickly ended the threat.
Jones broke the school's all-time home run record in the fourth inning with a solo bomb to left field to trim the Seminole lead to 2-1. The homer seemed to spark the Panthers as three straight walks by Phillips, Maddy Stanton and Emily Whitaker loaded the bases for pinch hitter Chelsea Sparks. Starting pitcher Sarah Hamilton, a second team All-ACC selection, was removed for relief pitcher Jessica Nori (7-5), who forced Sparks to ground out to third base to end the inning.
"It's a pretty great accomplishment," said Jones. "Not anyone can say that they've accomplished that. It's a great feeling. I'm happy for it. I couldn't have done it without my hitting coach and all the work we've put in this year. It's a great feeling and I'm very excited about it. Let's see how long it (the record) lasts with the incredible hitters on this team."
Hamilton finished the day with 3.2 innings pitched. She allowed one run on one hit, walking four and striking out seven. During the contest Hamilton earned her 1,000th career strikeout in a Seminole uniform.
The Seminoles tacked on three runs in the fifth. A RBI double from Shayla Jackson and a sac fly from Jen Lapicki scored the first two runs and a mishandled play at third base allowed another runner to come home.
Starting pitcher Alana Thomas (9-11) ended her day giving up five runs (one earned) on five hits in 4.2 innings of work. Relievers McCall Langford and Kaitlyn Medlam closed out the game for GSU.
Three errors plagued the Panthers in the loss, allowing four unearned runs to cross the plate.
A pair of singles in the bottom of the fifth put runners at first and second with one out. After a second out, Audrey Mason hit a ball towards the shortstop. As Morrissey was heading to third, she crossed paths with the shortstop Ashley Stager. Runner's interference was called on Morrissey that ended the inning with runners on all bases and heading for home.
A lone run in the sixth on an infield single from Tiffani Brown provided the game its final margin.
This was the final game for GSU's two seniors, Jones and Tiffany Bess.
