What you need to know:

* Georgia State (30-17, 9-9, SBC) scored five runs in the first three innings Sunday and held on to win the series finale 5-4 over UT Arlington.

* The Mavericks had the bases loaded in the last inning, but Katie Worley got a strikeout to end the game.

* Up next for Georgia State is No. 7 UGA in Athens, Ga. on Wednesday.

ARLINGTON, Texas – After leading 5-0 in the third inning, Georgia State's softball team held on to win 5-4 at UT Arlington and win the series Sunday behind 11 hits, including three solo homeruns.

"There was a lot of things that went against us today and our team was able to overcome all of them and get a win," head coach Roger Kincaid said. "We're really proud of Katie [Worley] that she was able re-focus after we thought the game was over and come back to get a big strikeout and get us the win."

Katie Worley, who is celebrating a birthday, recorded the win today, throwing 4.1 innings and allowing just one hit. Worley struck out three and now owns an 8-7 record on the year. Thorpe got the start, but was chased after giving up four runs on four hits and walking three. At the plate, Ivie Drake reached base in all four at-bats, hitting a single and drawing three walks. Ashley Christy provided the power, going 2-for-4 with a triple and home run.

Christy looked to get the fireworks going early, just barely missing a home run as the game's second batter. Her triple off the wall led to the first run of the day as Megan Litumbe put GSU on the board with a sac fly that scored Christy. Georgia State put up a crooked number in the second inning that all started with Kensey Caldwell's ninth homer of the season. Mandy Blackwell then came home on a Taylor Anderson sac fly. Christy didn't miss in her second at bat, sending a line drive over the fence with two outs to extend the Panthers lead to 4-0.

UT Arlington threatened in the bottom of the second, but Thorpe worked around two baserunners to escape the inning untouched. The Mavericks went to a new pitcher to start the third and Callie Alford greeted them with a solo shot, making it 5-0. The Panthers looked to be on their way to a blowout, but Thorpe ran into trouble in the bottom half of the inning.

After a walk and back-to-back doubles, the Mavericks trailed 5-2. With two outs, UTA's Meagan Michele hammered a two-run blow to pull her team within one. Now with Katie Worley in the circle, the game sped up as neither team could string multiple hits together. After a combined nine runs in the first three frames, both sides were held scoreless over the final four.

UT Arlington made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh.  The tying run advanced to second base with a sac bunt and just one out. Worley then walked Nina Villanueva to set up a possible game-ending double play, putting the winning run on first. The first pitch to the next batter was in the dirt, but Drake was quick out of her stance and threw out the runner trying to advance to third for the last out. The Panthers came out of the dugout to celebrate, but the umpires sent them back and declared that the batter had been hit by the pitch. With the bases loaded and two outs, Worley dug in and threw it right past Michele to end the ballgame and preserve the 5-4 victory.

Georgia State (30-17, 9-9 SBC) is back at it Wednesday as the team heads to Athens, Ga. to face the No. 7 Bulldogs of Georgia.