ATLANTA – Behind a season high four home runs, the Georgia State softball team defeated crosstown rival Georgia Tech 10-5 Tuesday, April 8 at Shirley Clements Mewborn Field. The Panthers improve to 20-20 overall this season and hit four homers in a game for the first time since April 10, 2011.
Sophomore shortstop Taylor Anderson led the way with two solo home runs and three runs scored. Junior catcher Callie Alford and freshman right fielder Megan Litumbe each blasted a three-run bomb. Alford now has homers in back-to-back games and Litumbe has homered in two of her last three.
Anderson led off the game with a walk and advanced to second on center fielder Ashley Christy's sacrifice bunt. However, she was stranded there when a pop-up and strikeout ended the Panther half of the inning.
In the bottom of the first, Georgia Tech shortstop Ashley Thomas drew a lead-off walk. She advanced to second on an illegal pitch and reached third on a sacrifice bunt. Thomas then scored on catcher Alysha Rudnik's sacrifice fly to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead after one complete.
Second baseman Kensey Caldwell opened the top of the second with a walk, and she got to second on Litumbe's single. Designated player Mandy Blackwell advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. After a groundout, Caldwell scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 1-1. GSU then took a 2-1 lead when Litumbe scored on a GT error. The Yellow Jackets were retired in order in the bottom of the second and the Panthers held a 2-1 lead after two innings.
In the top of the third, first baseman Lauren Coleman hit a lead-off single up the middle and Alford doubled to left to put Panthers on second and third. Litumbe then blasted a three-run homer to left to extend Georgia State's lead to 5-1. Georgia Tech responded with a three-run home run of its own in the bottom of the third to cut the Panther lead to 5-4 after three complete.
Anderson drew her second walk of the game to start the top of the fourth and she advanced to second when Coleman reached on catcher's interference. Alford then launched a three-run bomb to center to give GSU an 8-4 lead. In the bottom half, Georgia State relief pitcher Kaitlyn Medlam retired three of the first four batters to protect the Panthers' 8-4 lead after four innings.
Anderson hit a one-out, solo home run in the top of the fifth to give GSU a 9-4 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Yellow Jacket center fielder Hayley Downs hit a lead-off triple to right and scored on an error by Litumbe to make it a 9-5 game. Rudnik doubled and right fielder Samantha Pierannunzi walked, but both runners were stranded when Medlam recorded a strikeout and forced a pop fly to end the fifth with Georgia State up 9-5.
After a scoreless sixth, Anderson blasted her second solo homer and the Panthers' fourth of the game to push GSU's lead to 10-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. Rudnik led off with a double through the right side and advanced to second on a groundout. After recording a strikeout, Medlam forced a pop-up to end the game and give Georgia State the 10-5 win.
Kaitlyn Medlam pitched 4.0 innings in relief and improved to 13-8 with the win. She allowed one run on four hits. GSU starter Eron Milton pitched 3.0 innings and allowed four runs on four hits.
Georgia Tech starter Kanani Cabrales pitched 2.0 innings and allowed four runs on three hits. Kylie Kleinschmidt falls to 12-9 after the loss. She pitched 2.1 innings in relief and allowed five runs on four hits. Ashley Clifton pitched the final 2.2 innings and allowed one run on three hits.
Georgia State returns to the field Wednesday, April 9 to battle in-state rival Georgia Southern at in Statesboro, Ga. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Eagle Field at GS Softball Complex.
