What you need to know:
* Panthers won by a combined 22-3 over FGCU and Eastern Michigan to increase winning streak to six.
* Taylor Thorpe picked up a complete-game win over FGCU to remain undefeated and improve to 4-0.
* Katie Worley shutdown Eastern Michigan in Game 2 to earn her first win of the year.
* Georgia State returns to the field tomorrow at 12 p.m. to face East Carolina before battling Villanova.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Behind outstanding pitching performances by Taylor Thorpe and Katie Worley, the Georgia State softball team exploded to two wins on the first day of the USF Under Armour Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.
“Today the team accomplished all three elements of our formula: defense, offense and pitching,” head coach Roger Kincaid said. “The pitchers did a great job and we got timely hits all day. Plus it was also nice to play from in front for a change.”
Thorpe picked up her fourth win while Worley get her first win of the season. GSU increased its winning streak to six and the Panthers improved to 9-2 overall. Callie Alford went 5-for-6 at the plate, drove in five RBI and scored four more.
Ashley Christy and Ivie Drake also had a great day at the plate. Christy blasted two triples to go with four RBI and two runs scored. Drake finished with four hits, five RBI and three runs scored.
Game 1
Georgia State scored seven in the third, four in the fourth and four in the fifth en route to a 16-2 run-rule victory over FGCU. This equaled GSU's highest scoring output of the season thus far.
“I am extremely pleased with Taylor's performances in the circle so far this season,” Kincaid said. “She is off to a great start and we hope she can maintain this momentum.”
Christy and Mallory Koepke led the way with three RBI each while Kensey Caldwell, Drake and Kristin Hawkins all drove in two. Alford went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and one RBI. Morgan Brown, Christy, Drake and Megan Litumbe all scored twice.
The Panthers jumped out to an early lead with one run in the top of the first, but FGCU responded with two in the bottom of the second to take a 2-1 lead. Georgia State then scored seven runs in the top of the third to reclaim the lead. Drake, Caldwell and Christy all drove in two in the frame.
Starting pitcher Thorpe then slammed the door on the Eagles offense. She allowing just one base runner in the final three innings en route to her second complete-game victory of the season. She also remained undefeated and improved to 4-0 this season.
Game 2
Behind five runs in the first inning, Georgia State defeated East Michigan 6-1 to go 2-0 on the first day of the USF Under Armour Invitational. Worley scattered five hits over 6.2 innings while striking out five in her longest outing of the season.
“This was Katie's longest outing in nearly a year and it could not have come at a better time. We are starting to see glimpses of the Katie Worley that won 15 games and was an all-conference selection as a freshman.”
Taylor Anderson and Brown opened the game with back-to-back singles. Lauren Coleman then drew a walk to load the bases before Alford was walked to plate a run. Drake then doubled to left center to clear the bases and put GSU up 4-0. Drake later scored to cap the inning and give the Panthers a 5-0 lead they would not relinquish.
The Panthers added a single run in the second before four scoreless frames ended the game. Worley allowed just five base runners over the final four innings and escaped a bases loaded jam in the fifth without giving up an earned run.
GSU returns to the field Saturday, Feb. 28 for games against East Carolina at 12:15 p.m. and Villanova at 2:45 p.m.
