GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Georgia State softball team split a doubleheader on the road against Furman Wednesday, April 2. The Panthers won game 1 9-1 before falling in game 2 7-6. GSU is now 17-19 overall this season, while Furman is 17-18.
Caldwell finished the day 5-for-7 with five RBI. She has now driven in 10 runs in her last five games after having only five RBI through her first 25 contest. Coleman also finished the day with five RBI including a grand slam in game 1.
Game 1
Georgia State scores six in the fourth to break open a 1-1 tie en route to a 9-1 win in six innings. Coleman led the way with four RBI and two runs scored for the Panthers. She went 2-for-4 with a grand slam and a double. Caldwell stayed hot at the plate as she finished with two hits, drove in two runs and scored once.
Shortstop Taylor Anderson opened the game with a walk for GSU. She advanced to second on right fielder Ashley Christy's sacrifice bunt. Anderson reached third safely on first baseman Coleman's fielder's choice to put Panthers on first and third. After catcher Callie Alford was hit by a pitch to load the bases, second baseman Caldwell plated Anderson with a sacrifice fly to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead after the top half of the first.
Furman responded to score a run of its own in the bottom of the first. Center fielder Nikki Legg reached with a lead-off single and advanced to second when Clemmons was hit by a pitch. Bishop then singled to center to plate Legg and tie the game 1-1 after one complete.
Neither team was able to break the tie in the second of the third inning. In the top of the fourth, Caldwell singled to start a Georgia State rally. After a pop-up, designated player Taylor Thorpe singled down the right field line to put Panthers on first and third. Center fielder Jessica Clifton was hit by a pitch to load the bases. After a strikeout, Anderson drew a two-out walk to plate Caldwell and Christy was hit by a pitch to score Thorpe to give GSU a 3-1 lead. Coleman then blasted a grand slam to extend the Panthers lead to 7-1.
Furman's first two batters of the inning reached safely before Georgia State starter Kaitlyn Medlam retired the next three batters to protect GSU's 7-1 lead after four complete. The Panthers and Paladins both stranded two runs in the fifth inning as neither team was able to score.
In the top of the sixth, Coleman hit a two-out double to left center then scored on Alford's double to center. Caldwell then singled to right to score Alford and put the Panthers up 9-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Emily Clay replaced Medlam in the circle for GSU in the bottom of the sixth, making her first appearance of the season. Ambree Muller reached safely with a lead-off single. However, after a pop-up, she was caught stealing and then Clay forced a pop fly to left to clinch the 9-1 win for Georgia State.
Medlam pitched five innings and allowed one run on four hits. The win was the 53rd of her career and moves her past Andrea McNary for third on GSU's career wins list. Clay pitched one scoreless inning and allowed one hit in her first appearance of the season.
Furman starter Lauren Collier falls to 9-9 after the loss. She pitched four innings and allowed seven runs on four hits. Elise Smith pitched two innings in relief and allowed two runs on four hits.
Game 2
Furman scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth to come from behind to defeat Georgia State 7-6. Freshman Kensey Caldwell led the way for the Panthers by going 3-for-4 and driving in three runs. Sophomore Taylor Anderson and junior Lauren Coleman also finished with one RBI each.
After a groundout, center fielder Ashely Christy reached safely on an error by the Furman second baseman. She stole second and scored on first baseman Lauren Coleman's RBI single up the middle. Then after another groundout, second baseman Kensey Caldwell doubled down the left field line to plate Coleman and give GSU a 2-0 lead. Panther starter Kaitlyn Medlam then retired the Paladin side three up and three down in the bottom of the first as Georgia State led 2-0 after one complete.
Both teams stranded one runner in a scoreless second inning. In the top of the third, designated player Callie Alford reached safely with a one-out double. Then Caldwell doubled to left center to drive in Alford and extend the Panthers' lead to 3-0 heading into the bottom of the third. Medlam struck out the Furman side in the bottom of the frame to protect GSU's 3-0 lead after three complete.
Furman retired the GSU side in the top of the fourth with a groundout and a double play. In the bottom of the inning, left fielder Ambree Muller was hit by a pitch with one out. She advanced to second on first baseman Lauren Collier's single. However, Medlam struck out the next two batters to strand the runners and protect Georgia State's 3-0 lead after four complete.
The Panthers added one run to their lead on Caldwell's RBI single in the top of the fifth. Coleman reached with a one-out double to right center. Then Alford singled to the shortstop to put runners on first and second. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Caldwell singled to center to score Coleman. A double play ended the threat with Alford stranded at third and Georgia State leading 4-0.
In the bottom of the fifth, Furman loaded the bases with one out. Then the Paladins scored five runs on two singles, a wild pitch and two GSU errors to take a 5-4 lead after five complete innings.
Georgia State tied the game 5-5 in the top of the sixth on Anderson's single. Catcher Mandy Blackwell singled to center to open the inning. Mallory Koepke subbed to run for Blackwell and she advanced to second on right fielder Megan Litumbe's sacrifice bunt. After a pop fly, Anderson drove in Koepke with a single to center.
GSU relief pitcher Eron Milton forces two groundouts, one a double play, to end the Furman half of the sixth. The Panthers and Paladins were tied 5-5 after six complete. Georgia State were retired three up and three down in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the inning, Furman stranded a base runner at second when Milton recorded a strikeout to end the threat. The game was still tied 5-5 after seven innings so the teams prepared to play extra innings.
In the first half of eighth inning, Morgan Brown was placed at second. She advanced to third on MeQuilla Franklin's sacrifice bunt and scored on a failed pickoff attempt by Paladin catcher Hannah Pace to give Georgia State a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.
In the Furman half of the eighth, Pace was placed at second. She was then thrown out at second on designated player Taylor Collins' bunt attempt. After a foul pop-up, Nikki Legg singled to put Paladins on first and second. A walk loaded the bases for Furman and shortstop Sieara Bishop doubled to left center to drive in two runs and secure the 7-6 win for Furman.
GSU starter Kaitlyn Medlam pitched 4.1 innings and allowed five runs on five hits. She struck out eight batters and walked three. Reliever Eron Milton falls to 3-5 this season after the loss. She pitched 3.1 innings and allowed two runs on five hits.
Lauren Collier pitched the final two innings to earn her 10th win of the season and improve to 10-9. She allowed one run on one hit.
Georgia State returns to action on Saturday, April 5, to host UT Arlington for a Sun Belt series. The Panthers and Mavericks will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. The series finale will be played on Sunday, April 6, starting at 12 p.m.
