MOBILE, Ala. – The Georgia State softball team split a doubleheader with No. 19 South Alabama on Saturday, April 19 in Mobile, Ala. at Jaguar Field. The Panthers are now 25-23 overall and 8-7 in the Sun Belt. The Jaguars are 34-9 this season and 11-5 in conference play.
GSU won 2-1 in game 1 behind a stellar complete-game pitching performance by junior Eron Milton. In a nine-inning pitching duel, Georgia State fell to South Alabama 2-1 in game 2.
Game 1
Georgia State defeated No. 19 South Alabama 2-1 in game 1 of a doubleheader for the Panthers first win against a top-25 team this season. GSU scored two runs in the top of the first inning and starter Eron Milton allowed one run over seven innings to get the win.
In the top of the first inning, shortstop Taylor Anderson drew a lead-off walk. She advanced to second on second baseman Kensey Caldwell's sacrifice bunt. First baseman Lauren Coleman then drew a walk to put Panthers on first and second. South Alabama starter Farish Beard was called for back-to-back illegal pitches to plate Anderson and give GSU a 1-0 lead. Coleman then scored to double Georgia State's advantage to 2-0 when Beard was called for three straight illegal pitches. Designated player Callie Alford walked, advanced to second on a groundout and reached third on Beard's sixth illegal pitch of the inning. Hannah Campbell replaced Beard in the circle for the Jaguars then forced a groundout to end the top of the first.
Blaire Johnson reached second with two outs in the bottom of the first on a GSU throwing error, but she was stranded at second when Milton forced first baseman Amanda Herron to fly out to center. Georgia State led 2-1 after one complete.
After a scoreless top of the second, South Alabama's catcher Alex Breeden reached with a lead-off single. Gwen Jones subbed to run for Breeden and advanced to second on designated player Chloe Rathburn's single. Jones then scored on a pop-fly to right to make it a 2-1 game after two complete.
Alford singled to second with two outs in the top of the third but was stranded when a groundout ended the top of the frame. The Jaguars were retired three up and three down in the bottom of the third as GSU protected its 2-1 lead after three.
In the bottom of the fourth, third baseman MeQuilla Franklin singled to second with one out. After a pop-up, left fielder Morgan Brown singled to third to put Panthers on first and second. However, both runners were stranded when a groundout ended the threat. South Alabama stranded a runner at second in the bottom of the fourth and Georgia State was still up 2-1 through four.
After a pop fly opened the top of the fifth, Coleman reached on a Jaguar error. Alford then doubled to right to put Panthers on second and third. South Alabama's Campbell escaped the jam by forcing a groundout and pop-up. The Jaguars were retired in order in the bottom of the frame and GSU led 2-1 after five complete.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Georgia State was retired three up and three down in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the final inning shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith drew a lead-off walk. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt but was then called out for interference on third baseman Emily Messer's grounder. Center fielder Stephanie Pilkington singled but then Milton forced a ground out to end the game and clinch the 2-1 win.
GSU Eron Milton improves to 6-6 with the win. She scattered four hits over seven inning while allowing one run. South Alabama starter Farish Beard falls to 17-5 with the loss after pitching just 0.2 innings and allowing two runs. Hannah Campbell pitched 6.1 scoreless innings in relief.
Game 2
Georgia State fell to South Alabama 2-1 in nine innings in a pitcher's duel between Panther starter Kaitlyn Medlam and Jaguar starter Farish Beard. Both pitchers combined to allow three runs over 17.2 innings.
In the top of the first, second baseman Kensey Caldwell drew a one-out walk. After a strikeout, she stole second and then catcher Callie Alford was hit by a pitch. However, the threat ended when Caldwell was tagged out at third on right fielder Megan Litumbe's grounder. South Alabama was retired in order in the bottom of the first to keep the game scoreless after one.
Third baseman MeQuilla Franklin reached with a lead-off single to open the second inning. However, South Alabama's Beard retired the next three batters. Medlam responded with her second straight three up and three down inning to keep the score 0-0 through two innings.
After Georgia State was retired in order in the top of the third, Jaguar right field Amanda Minahan singled back to the pitcher and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Medlam recorded a strikeout and forced a groundout to strand the runner and keep it a 0-0 game after three complete.
Both teams were retired in order in a scoreless fourth inning. The Panthers went down in order in the top of the fifth, and then Alex Beeden led off the bottom of the fifth with a double for South Alabama. Medlam forced three straight pop-ups to end the frame with the score 0-0 through five.
First baseman Lauren Coleman drew a two-out walk for Georgia State in the top of the sixth. She then scored to when Jaguar shortstop Kaitlyn Griffith mishandled Alford's grounder. Litumbe then singled through the left side to put Panthers on the corners. Ashley Christy subbed to run for Litumbe and she stole second, but a pop-up ended the threat with GSU up 1-0. The Jaguars responded to score a run in the bottom half on a walk and back-to-back doubles to tie the score 1-1 after six.
After neither team was able to break the 1-1 tie in the seventh inning, the game went into extra innings deadlocked at one. Coleman reached with a two-out single in the eighth inning but was stranded when a groundout ended the threat. In the bottom of the frame, left fielder Blaire Johnson reached with a two-out single. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and first baseman Amanda Herron drew a walk. However, the game remained tied 1-1 after both runners were stranded when Medlam forced a pop-up to end the eighth inning.
In the ninth inning, designated player Mallory Koepke hit a two-out single back to the pitcher but was stranded when a pop-up ended the top of the frame. Minahan drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth for the Jaguars. After a strikeout, she advanced to second third baseman Emily Messer's single. Center fielder Stephanie Pilkington then singled to left center to score Minahan and give South Alabama the 2-1 win.
Georgia State starter Kaitlyn Medlam falls to 16-10 after the loss. She pitched a season-high 8.2 innings and allowed two runs on eight hits. Jaguar starter Farish Beard improves to 18-5 with the win. She allowed one run on four hits over 9.0 innings.
The Panthers will return to the field on Tuesday, April 22 to battle in-state rival No. 15 Georgia. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Ga.
