KENNESAW, Ga. — Georgia State (20-7) won the first half of a road doubleheader 3-1 before dropping the second game by the score reversed at Kennesaw State (15-12) Saturday afternoon.
Shortstop Brenna Morrissey had a total of four hits on the day, including two doubles and an RBI. Jessica Clifton also struck her first home run of the season during game one.
Game One: GSU 3, KSU 1
Alana Thomas threw her fifth complete game of the season and improved her record to 7-2 as the Panthers took the first half of the doubleheader at Baily Field.
Thomas worked out of several jams and stranded 10 Owl runners on base to allow only one run. The victory ties her with Kaitlyn Medlam for the team lead at seven.
Kennesaw State took an early lead in the second inning on two hits, but the Panthers answered with three runs on four hits in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.
Clifton led off the fourth with a solo home run to tie the game at one. Lauren Coleman and Paige Nowacki followed with back-to-back singles and Alford drove in two with a double. Taylor Scarpantonio also doubled in the inning, but Alford was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play.
KSU threatened in the bottom of the seventh after loading the bases, but Thomas and the defense buckled down to induce a ground out for the final out of the game.
Game Two: GSU 1, KSU 3
Morrissey was 3-for-4 in the game with a pair of doubles as the Panthers outhit the Owls six to four, but still lost the contest as the score was a mirror image of the first game.
The Panthers stranded nine base runners and struck out 16 times in the game as KSU starter Amanda Henderson pushed her season to 105 strikeouts in 2012.
Kennesaw State took advantage of two Panther error to score three runs on two hits in their half of the fourth inning. Catcher Lindsay Vollmer had the big blow, a two RBI single with two outs.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Panthers avoided being shut out by scoring Cassie Boese on Morrissey's second double. GSU still has yet to go a game without scoring a run this season.
GSU starter McCall Langford pitched 5.0 innings and did not allow an earned run, but still suffered the loss and falls to 5-4 on the season. Medlam kept the Owls from scoring again in her one inning of relief.
Next Wednesday, the Panthers return to action with a trip to Athens, Ga. to play another in-state opponent in the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
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