WOODSTOCK, Ga. — Georgia State softball (10-4) earned two come-from-behind wins over Central Arkansas (10-6) and Cambell (6-8) during the second day of the Phyllis Rafter Memorial tournament Saturday.
Game 1: GSU 4, UCA 3
Brenna Morrissey hit a walk-off, two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Georgia State past Central Arkansas. Morrissey also had a double and a walk in the game.
The Panthers fell behind UCA 3-0 by the fourth inning, but Paige Nowacki hit a two-run homer in the inning that brought GSU within one.
Central Arkansas led off both the second and fourth innings with solo home runs. The Bears also added a run in the top of the fourth inning with a double and single.
Alana Thomas gave up all three runs on six hits before giving way to Kaitlyn Medlam out of the bullpen. Medlam shut the door on the Bears, pitching 3.0 innings without allowing a base runner and striking out four.
Georgia State still trailed by a run entering the bottom of the seventh inning. Whitney Phillips reached first base on an error by the pitcher and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Scarpanonio.
The Panthers got down to their final strike before Morrissey delivered a ball over the center field wall for the win.
Game 2: GSU 9, Campbell 6
The Panthers scored five runs in the fourth inning, including three bases loaded walks from Callie Alford, Lauren Coleman and Audrey Mason and an RBI hit-by-pitch from Shannyn Palazzo. GSU added insurance runs in both the fifth and six innings.
Chelsea Sparks and Whitney Phillips both had a pair of hits and Alford had two RBI on a hit and three walks. All told, GSU drew nine walks and had seven hits.
McCall Langford earned her second win of the season, but this time out of the bullpen in relief of starter Kaitlyn Medlam. Langford shut the Camel bats down, allowing only one hit in 3.1 innings pitched.
Georgia State drew first blood by scoring two in the bottom of the second. Carrie Williams' double scored Mason from first and Williams subsequently came around to score on a single by Phillips.
Campbell answered with four runs in the third and two more in the top of the fourth to take a 6-2 lead. The Camel's starter Julia Callicutt loaded the bases in the fourth and reliever Christina Melton entered the game and gave up three walks and a hit-by-pitch.
On the third and final day of the tournament, Georgia State will play Robert Morris (3-3) at 10:30 a.m.
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