PANTHERSVILLE, Ga. — Callie Alford hit a grand slam in the first inning of the first game to finish the day with five RBI to help Georgia State to a split against CAA foe UNCW in front of a season-high crowd of 325 spectators at the Heck Softball Field on Saturday afternoon.
Alford's slam is the second this season for the Panthers with the first coming off the bat of Audrey Mason at Mercer on Feb. 27.
The doubleheader was also Pink Day as the Panthers commemorated breast cancer awareness with pink uniforms.
Game 1: GSU 8, UNCW 2
Callie Alford hit a first inning grand slam and finished the game with five RBI as the Panthers cruised to a series-opening 8-2 win over the visiting Seahawks.
GSU added one run in the fifth and two more in the sixth and compiled a total of 13 hits, including a dozen singles. Four Panthers had multiple hits, including Whitney Phillips who went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
The Panthers opened the game by scoring five runs in the first inning. Following a walk by Taylor Anderson and back-to-back singles from Brenna Morrissey and Jessica Clifton, Alford sent a pitch over the left field fence. GSU loaded the bases again in the frame and Whitney Phillips grounded into an RBI fielder's choice.
The home run is the ninth of the season for Callie Alford and now has 34 RBI this season. The catcher also drew a bases-loaded walk in the fifth inning.
Kaitlyn Medlam earned her fourteenth win of the season in her 11th complete game. The junior allowed only three hits in 7.0 innings pitched and struck out seven.
The Panthers also drew six walks, one by Lauren Coleman who now has 38 on the year, only five away from tying the single-season school record of 43 bases-on-balls.
Morgan McCann hit a two-run home run in the third inning to provide all of the scoring for UNCW.
Game 2: UNCW 4, GSU 2
UNCW struck for two runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth to take the second game of the series by a score of 4-2. GSU was outhit 7-5 in the contest and could not take advantage of three Seahawk errors.
Georgia State scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning, but that was all the offense the Panthers could muster.
Anderson started the inning by advancing to third base on a pair of errors after a dropped pop fly and a bad throw. Anderson scored on a ground out by Morrissey. Ashley Christy then belted a double to score Alford from first. Christy also stole her team-leading 16th base of the season.
Katie Worley lasted 4.1 innings and allowed four runs on six hits, including a home run. Medlam worked 2.2 innings in scoreless relief and only surrendered one UNCW hit.
The Panthers are now 11-2 against UNCW at home. The two teams will play the rubber game of the conference series on Sunday at noon.
www.GeorgiaStateSports.com
