ATLANTA – Centerfielder Ashley Christy smacked a pair of home runs and drove in eight runs – twice as many as she had in the first 10 games of the season combined – to help the Georgia State softball team to a doubleheader split with Mercer on Wednesday at Bob Heck Field. Christy, a junior from Waxhaw, N.C., finished the twinbill going 5 of 7 at the plate with four extra-base hits.
Georgia State took the first game by a 17-3 mark before falling in the nightcap 11-5. With the split, GSU is now 7-5 on the year while Mercer moved to 11-4.
In the late afternoon opener, Georgia State raced out to a double-digit lead and never looked back as it posted its fourth game this spring scoring at least 10 runs. The Panthers plated three runs in the first, five in the second and three more in the third while pouncing ahead to a 11-0 advantage before a six-run fourth put the game out of reach.
Shortstop Taylor Anderson led off the GSU first with a double and Christy followed with a two-bagger to give the Panthers a quick lead before their first out of the game. Catcher Callie Alford followed two batters later with a two-run blast to right field to prop up the Panthers 3-0. In the second, the first three batters reached base and scored before first baseman Lauren Coleman's walk started a two-out rally. Coleman and right fielder Megan Litumbe also came around to score as the latter started a streak of four consecutive Panther base knocks, helping GSU to bat around in the frame.
Coleman collected her only hit of the game in the third inning when she drilled a three-run shot off pitcher Julia Rice to push the Panther advantage back to double figures. After Mercer plated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, Christy erased any chance of a comeback by the Bears as she crushed a grand slam – her first home run of the year – to center field to cap a six-run inning.
Righthander Kaitlyn Medlam backed up Christy and Co.'s offensive effort, pitching 4.0 innings of four-hit ball. Medlam allowed two runs and struck out three to pick up her fourth win and lift GSU to its seventh victory of the season.
Mercer turned the tables on the Panthers in the second game, jumping ahead 2-0 in the first and tacking on runs in every inning except the fourth. The Bears belted four home runs and five doubles in the contest as they cruised to a six-run victory that never felt that close. Shortstop Krista Kennedy went 3 for 3 with two RBI and three runs scored, and joined second baseman Kaytlin Haney and first baseman Caroline Taylor with a double and home run apiece.
Lefthander Kirsten Stevens went the distance in the circle for Mercer to pick up the victory, keeping Panther hitters off balance all game. Stevens allowed seven hits and five runs – single scores in the fourth and fifth and three runs in the sixths – while striking out nine.
The Panthers' limited offense in the second game again focused around Christy's effort. She drove in a run in the fifth with a solo shot to center field – her second of the day – before adding a two-run double in the sixth.
Freshman righthander Taylor Thorpe took the loss, falling to 2-2 on the year after giving up seven runs – six earned – on six hits while striking out seven of the 21 batters faced.
Georgia State returns to action this weekend at the USF Under Armour Invitational, starting on Friday with games against St. Bonaventure and Central Connecticut State. The Panthers then face Quinnipiac and Pac-12 foe Stanford on Saturday and complete the weekend with a contest on Sunday against Western Michigan.
