ATLANTA – After falling 3-1 in game 1 of the day, the Georgia State softball team came from behind to win 6-4 in game 2 and split a doubleheader with UT Arlington on Saturday, April 5 at Bob Heck Field. The Panthers are now 18-20 overall and 3-5 in the Sun Belt, while the Mavericks are 15-22 this season and 1-7 in conference play.
Game 1
UT Arlington scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take a lead they would not relinquish en route to a 3-1 win over GSU. Center fielder Ashely Christy scored the Panthers only run in the bottom of the first on catcher Callie Alford's RBI groundout.
In the top of the first, second baseman Marisa Datko was hit by a pitch and then scored on shortstop Nina Villanueva's sixth home run of the season to give the Mavericks a 2-0 lead. Georgia State responded to score one run in the bottom of the frame to make it a 2-1 game after one complete.
Panther starter Kaitlyn Medlam retired the UTA side three up and three down in the top of the second. In the bottom half of the inning, designated player Taylor Thorpe hit a lead-off double down the left-field line. However, she was stranded at second when Maverick starter Shannon Carrico retired the next three batters to protect UT Arlington's 2-1 lead after two innings.
Both teams were held scoreless in the third, fourth and fifth innings. In the top of the sixth, Datko hit her first homer of the season with one out to extend UTA's lead to 3-1. The Mavericks loaded the bases with two outs but Medlam escaped the jam by forcing a foul pop fly to keep it a 3-1 game after six complete.
Medlam and the GSU defense retired three of the first four batters in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the frame, right fielder Jessica Clifton hit a two-out double down the right-field line but a groundout to first ended the game.
Both starters pitched seven inning complete games. Medlam fell to 11-8 after the loss. She allowed three runs on six hits, struck out seven and walked one. Carrico improved to 7-7 for UTA. She allowed one unearned run, recorded six strikeouts and zero walks.
Game 2
After falling behind 3-0 through two innings, freshmen Megan Litumbe and Kensey Caldwell both hit two-run home runs to lead Georgia State to a 6-4 come from behind victory over UT Arlington.
“We will take the win however we can get it,” head coach Roger Kincaid said after the comeback win in game 2. “We had some key at-bats in the fourth and sixth innings to help lead us to the victory.”
For the second time in two games, the Mavericks jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a two-run homer by third baseman Meagan Michele in the top of the first. UTA added a third run to its lead in the top of the second on right fielder JoJo Schaefer's RBI single.
The Mavericks stranded runners on second and third in the top of the third inning. In the bottom of the frame, catcher Mandy Blackwell hit a lead-off double to right center. Then she scored on designated player Mallory Koepke's grounder to make it a 3-1 game after three complete.
UT Arlington loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fourth. After walking in a run, Eron Milton was replaced by Kaitlyn Medlam in the circle for GSU. Medlam then recorded a strikeout and third baseman Callie Alford caught a foul pop-up while leaning over the dug out railing to end the top of fourth.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, second baseman Caldwell reached safely with a one-out single. Right fielder Litumbe then blasted a two-run bomb to dead center to cut UTA's lead to 4-3. The home run was Litumbe's first since Feb. 23 against No. 21 Tulsa and her first RBI since March 15 versus Fordham.
After a scoreless fifth, Georgia State kept it a one-run game when shortstop Nina Villanueva was tagged out at home while trying to score from first on a single to right center to end the top of the sixth.
In the bottom half of the frame, Alford hit a lead-off single through the right side. Then Caldwell launched a two-run home run over the scoreboard to give GSU a 5-4 lead. After a groundout, Blackwell doubled down the right-field line. Morgan Brown subbed to run for Blackwell and she advanced to third on center fielder Jessica Clifton's sacrifice bunt. Brown then scored on a throwing error by UTA's Michele to give the Panthers a 6-4 lead after six complete.
“I am so proud of Kensey,” Kincaid said about the freshman second baseman. “That was a big-time hit in a big-time moment. She stepped up, got a great hit and hit it a long way. We have been trying to execute certain things and she did that tonight. I am really proud of her.”
“I do not think of myself as a freshman, but rather I am a part of this team,” Caldwell said after the doubleheader. “When I am put in a position to help the team I am going to do whatever the team needs me to do. I believe everyone has to step up at one point in time and today was my time.”
Medlam then retired UT Arlington three up and three down in the top of the seventh to secure the 6-4 victory. She improves to 12-8 this season with the win. She pitched 3.2 innings in relief and allowed zero runs on two hits.
“I planned to bring Medlam in if we got a lead,” Kincaid said. “I felt that if I did not bring her in when the bases were loaded the game might have gotten away from us. So I brought her in a little early. After an inning and a half, I asked her if she could finish the game. She told me she had it, so I put my trust in her and it paid off.”
UTA starter Callie Collins pitched 5.0 innings and allowed four runs on five hits. Relief pitcher Shannon Carrico falls to 7-8 overall after the loss. She pitched one inning while giving up two runs on two hits.
The Panthers and Mavericks will wrap up the series Sunday, April 6 at 12 p.m. at the Robert E. Heck Softball Complex.
