KENNESAW, Ga. – The Georgia State softball team went 1-1 on the second day of the Georgia Tech/Kennesaw State Invitational. In the first game of the day the Panthers defeated Stony Brook 7-5 before falling to Kennesaw State 7-6 after a late Owl rally. GSU is now 6-2 overall.
Game 1
Behind two RBI from freshman Morgan Brown, the Panthers defeated Stony Brook 7-5 on Saturday, Feb. 22 in the second day of the Georgia Tech/Kennesaw State Invitational at Bailey Park on the campus of Kennesaw State.
In the top of the first, Georgia State started a two-out rally on Lauren Coleman's single. Then Callie Alford reached on an error and Megan Litumbe walked to load the bases. MeQuilla Franklin then hit a hard grounder at Stony Brook pitcher Jane Sallen, whose poor throw to first allowed Coleman and Alford to score. A strike out ended GSU's half of the inning with the Panthers up 2-0.
After a scoreless bottom of the first, Mandy Blackwell opened the second with an infield single. She then advanced to second on Mallory Koepke's sacrifice bunt. Taylor Anderson singled up the middle to put Panthers on the corners. Morgan Brown then hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Blackwell and give GSU a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, Stony Brook started the inning with back-to-back walks. After two foul pop flies, Alexandra Pisciotta singled up the middle to load the bases. Georgia State starter Taylor Thorpe then walked in a run to make it a 3-1 game before being replaced by Eron Milton. Shayla Giosia then hit a two-RBI single to center to tie the game 3-3 after two complete.
Both teams stranded two base runners in a scoreless third inning. After a scoreless top of the fourth, Stony Brook grabbed a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the frame on Bria Green's two-out, RBI single to third base.
Litumbe opened the top of the fifth with a single to left and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder Nicole Hoyle. Ashley Christy was subbed to run for Litumbe and she reached third on Franklin's sacrifice bunt. Jessica Clifton singled over the shortstop's head to plate Christy and tie the game 4-4. GSU held the Seawolves scoreless in the bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Georgia State retook the lead on Alford's two-out, RBI single to left. Anderson opened the inning with a line-drive single to right. She advanced to second on Brown's sacrifice bunt, reached third on a ground out and scored to give GSU a 5-4 lead.
After a scoreless bottom of the sixth, the Panthers scored twice in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 7-4. Blackwell started a two-out rally with a single through the left side. Kensey Caldwell subbed to run for Blackwell and scored on Koepke's RBI double over the left fielder's head. After Anderson walked, Brown singled into shallow right to score Koepke and give Georgia State a three-run lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, Green hit a lead-off home run to left for the second straight day to pull Stony Brook within two. After two ground outs, Kellie Reynolds drew a walk and Milton was replaced by Thorpe. Thorpe forced Patty Borges to pop-up to first base to clinch the win and earn her first career save.
Eron Milton earned the win for GSU after pitching five innings and allowing two runs on seven hits. Allison Cukrov gets the loss for Stony Brook after giving up two runs on four hits in two innings of relief.
Game 2
Kennesaw State scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to come from behind to beat Georgia State 7-6 at Baily Park Saturday afternoon. Taylor Anderson and Ashley Christy each finished with two RBI but it was not enough as the Panthers suffered their second loss of the season.
Georgia State gave up two hits in the top of the first but kept Kennesaw State off the scoreboard. The Panthers loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame but were unable to plate a run as the game remained scoreless through one complete.
After a scoreless top of the second, GSU opened the inning with a walk and then took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the frame on Taylor Anderson's RBI single up the middle. Kensey Caldwell scored on the play after singling down the left field line and advancing to second on the throw.
Kennesaw State went three up and three down in the top of the third inning. In the bottom half, Lauren Coleman reached with a bunt single before advancing to second on a throwing error by Kara Chambers. The Owls retired the next two batters and MeQuilla Franklin walked to put runners on the corners. Then Jessica Clifton singled to right center to score Coleman and give Georgia State a 2-0 lead through three.
The Owls finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Sara Sikes singled to right center to open the inning. Bianca Durant then doubled off the right field wall to plate Sikes and make it a 2-1 game in favor of the Panthers. After a pop-up, Durant was tagged out at third and Kaitlyn Medlam struck out Taylor Denton to end the inning.
Georgia State threatened in the bottom of the fourth, but Anderson was stranded in scoring position. She reached on a walk and stole second. Then Kennesaw State's relief pitcher Morgan Sikes struck out the next two batters to end the inning.
Medlam and the Panther defense retired the side in order in the top of the fifth. In the GSU half of the frame, Megan Litumbe walked to start a rally. Mallory Koepke subbed in to run for Litumbe and reached third on Franklin's one-out bunt single. Clifton then reached on a fielder's choice after Franklin was called out for interference on the play. Caldwell singled to center to score Koepke. Ashley Christy then hit a two RBI triple to left center and Anderson singled to score Christy to give the Panthers a 6-1 lead after five innings.
Neither team scored in the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Kennesaw State rallied to score six runs in the top of the seventh to clinch a 7-6 victory. The comeback was capped by a grand slam by Megan Veringa to give the Owls a lead would not relinquish.
Kaitlyn Medlam went the distance but is credited with the loss. She falls to 3-1 this season. Amanda Henderson entered the game to pitch the bottom of the seventh and earned the win to improve to 5-2 this season.
The Panthers return to the field on Sunday, Feb. 23 to face No. 21 Tulsa and Georgia Tech in the final day of the Georgia Tech/Kennesaw State Invitational. Georgia State and Tulsa will begin at 10 a.m. and first pitch against the Yellow Jackets is set for 2 p.m.
