ATLANTA – The Georgia State softball team split a doubleheader with Western Kentucky on Saturday, May 3 to wrap up the 2014 season. The Panthers won game 1 6-5 on freshman Taylor Thorpe's walk-off single before falling in game 2 9-7. GSU finished the regular season 30-25 with a 12-9 mark in the Sun Belt. Western Kentucky finished the year 32-22-1 and 11-10 in conference play.
“We challenged them and they stepped up,” head coach Roger Kincaid said after wrapping up the regular season. “The team knew that they had to win two out of three to get the No. 3 seed. We wanted to clinch the No. 3 seed to make a statement in the Sun Belt by finishing the regular season in third place. The win in game 1 was all about pride and I am extremely proud of them for finding a way to win and battling until the end.”
Kaitlyn Medlam was able to clinch the victory in game 1 out of the bullpen. The win was No. 62 of her career and moved her into first on Georgia State's career wins list. The Panthers blasted four home runs in the game, the third time the team has accomplished that feat this season. Sophomore Taylor Anderson led the way with two solo homers. This was GSU's 30th win of the season, marking an eighth consecutive year with 30 or more victories.
“If you had asked me a month ago if we would win 30 games after all the injuries we had to endure I would not have been able to see it,” Kincaid said. “I challenged the players and assistant coaches to do something different and everyone stepped up. I am more proud of this coaching staff or these players than any team I have ever been a part of.”
In game 2, the Panthers hit three home runs to push their record setting single-season team total to 59 in 55 games. GSU finished the doubleheader with seven bombs including two by Anderson, two by freshman Kensey Caldwell and two freshman Megan Litumbe.
Game 1
Georgia State clinched the No. 3 seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament with a 6-5 walk-off win over Western Kentucky in game 1 of a doubleheader Saturday.
Western Kentucky opened the game with three runs on four hits in the top of the first inning. The Panthers responded by scoring four in the bottom of the first on three home runs. Shortstop Anderson and second baseman Caldwell started the rally with back-to-back bombs. Right fielder Litumbe then launched a two-out, two-run bomb to give Georgia State a 4-3 lead after one complete.
The Lady Toppers tied the game 4-4 in the top of the second when second baseman Olivia Watkins doubled to left and scored on right fielder Shawna Sadler's single. In the bottom of the second, Anderson hit her second solo home run of the game and 14th of the season to help GSU retake a 5-4 lead after two.
Panther starter Eron Milton retired the WKU side in order in the top of the third. Georgia State put runners on first and second in the bottom of the third with one out but Western Kentucky reliever Emily Rousseau escaped the jam by recording a strikeout and forcing a line out.
In the top of the fourth, the Lady Toppers used four consecutive singles to plate third baseman Preslie Cruce and tie the game at five apiece. GSU went three up and three down in the bottom of the fourth to keep the game tied after four complete.
Western Kentucky was retired in order in the top of the fifth, while the Panthers only managed one base runner in the bottom half. Then the Lady Toppers stranded one in the top of the sixth before GSU went down in order to keep the game tied 5-5 after six innings.
In the top of the seventh, WKU put runners at first and second on back-to-back singles but a strikeout ended the top of the frame. Georgia State put a runner on second with two outs in the bottom of the inning but a foul pop-up ended the seventh with the score still tied.
The Lady Toppers were retired in order in the top of the eighth inning. After a groundout opened the bottom half, Litumbe doubled to left center for GSU. Left fielder MeQuilla Franklin walked to put Panthers on first and second. Then after a foul pop-up, pinch hitter Thorpe single to right to plate Litumbe and give Georgia State the 6-5 walk-off win.
Panther starter Milton pitched 4.0 innings and allowed five runs on 10 hits. Medlam earned the win, her 20th of the season, after allowing two hits over 4.0 scoreless innings in relief. WKU starter Hannah Miniard did not record an out and allowed two home runs. Janna Scheff pitched one inning and allowed two runs on one hit. Rousseau pitched 6.2 innings in relief and falls to 16-16 with the loss.
Game 2
Georgia State fell to Western Kentucky 9-7 in game 2 despite the Panthers blasting three home runs. Right fielder Megan Litumbe and left fielder MeQuilla Franklin led the way with two RBI each.
Both teams got two-out singles in the first inning but neither was able to get on the scoreboard. In the top of the second, WKU scored four unearned runs on a RBI double by left fielder Kelsie Mattox and a three-run homer by third baseman Preslie Cruce to grab the lead. GSU responded with two runs in the bottom of the second on back-to-back solo home runs by Litumbe and Franklin to cut the Lady Toppers' lead to 4-2 after two complete.
Western Kentucky scored two runs in the top of the third to extend its lead to 6-2 when Panther second baseman Kensey Caldwell misplayed catcher Jacqueline McGill's grounder. Georgia State starter Eron Milton limited the damage by retiring the next three batters to end the threat. The Panthers were held scoreless in the bottom of the third and WKU took a 6-2 lead into the fourth inning.
Milton retired three of the first four batters in the top of the fourth to keep the Lady Toppers' lead at four. In the bottom of the frame, Litumbe drew a one-out walk and scored on designated player Taylor Thorpe's double to center. The Panthers then loaded the bases with a single and a walk but could not push any more runners across and WKU led 6-3 after four complete.
The Lady Toppers scored two runs in the top of the fifth on two singles, two walks and two fielder's choices. In the bottom of the fifth, GSU used back-to-back singles and a pair of walks to plate third baseman Callie Alford and make it an 8-4 game in favor of Western Kentucky. A Panther was thrown out at home and a groundout ended the inning with the bases loaded before GSU could do any more damage.
WKU added one to its lead in the top of the sixth when first baseman Brooke Holloway scored on shortstop Amanda Thomas' single to center. With one out in the bottom of the frame, Caldwell hit a solo home run to left to cut the Western Kentucky lead to 9-4. First baseman Lauren Coleman then doubled and scored on catcher Mandy Blackwell's single to left center. Litumbe then singled off the wall in left center to plate Blackwell and make it a 9-7 game after six complete.
GSU reliever Kaitlyn Medlam allowed two base runners in the top of the seventh but did not allow the Lady Toppers to score. After a groundout opened the bottom of the finale frame, center fielder Jessica Clifton reached on an error by Cruce, shortstop Taylor Anderson singled and Coleman walked to load the bases. However, WKU starter Emily Rousseau forced a groundout to end the game and clinch the 9-7 win.
Georgia State starter Eron Milton falls to 7-7 after the loss. She pitched 4.0 innings and allowed seven runs on seven hits. Taylor Thorpe pitched two innings in relief and allowed two runs on four hits. Medlam pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Lady Topper starter Rousseau improved to 17-16 with the complete-game win. She allowed seven runs on 12 hits.
The No. 3 seeded Panthers will return to the field on Wednesday, May 7 in the Sun Belt Conference Championship in Lafayette, La. GSU will play the winner of game 1 of the tournament which will be either the No. 6 or the No. 7 seed at 3 p.m. The final standings will be determined tomorrow once all teams have finished the regular season.
