What you need to know:
* Kensey Caldwell homered and hit a walk-off RBI single in GSU's 8-0 five-inning run-rule win over Georgia Southern.
* The Panthers scored five in the first inning and three in the bottom of the fifth to secure the victory.
* GSU Starter Katie Worley allowed just three base runners in the complete-game, shut-out win.
* Georgia State will now face No. 4-seed Troy in the elimination third game of the day at approximately 4 p.m. ET.
ATLANTA – Kensey Caldwell launched her 10th homer of the season and hit a walk-off fifth-inning single while Katie Worley threw a complete-game, shut-out to lead Georgia State to the 8-0 win over rival Georgia Southern in the opening game of the Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship.
Worley pitched five innings and allowed just two hits and gave up one walk en route to her 12th win of the season. Caldwell finished with a team-high three RBI while Megan Litumbe recorded two RBI and Lauren Coleman drove in one. Seven Panthers scored in the game, led by Ashley Christy who scored twice.
"I am proud of the team for focusing and getting a run-rule win," head coach Roger Kincaid said. "It's obviously hard when you play a team four consecutive times and we talked about focusing and making sure we did our jobs."
GSU started fast with five runs in the bottom of the first. Christy started a one-out rally with a double to left before Drake and Callie Alford singled to load the bases. After Coleman drove in Christy with a sacrifice fly, Litumbe doubled to plate Drake and Alford and put the Panthers up 3-0. Caldwell then blasted a two run home run to push the Georgia State advantage to 5-0 after one.
After three scoreless innings, the Panthers scored three in the bottom of the fifth to secure the 8-0 run-rule victory. Christy opened the inning by reaching on an error. She stole second, Drake singled and Coleman drew a walk to load the bases. Two runs then scored on a second error in the inning by Georgia Southern before Caldwell clinched the win with a walk-off single to right.
Georgia State will face No. 4-seed Troy at 4 p.m. or approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the second game between UL Monroe and UT Arlington. The GSU-Troy game is an elimination game. The winner advances to a Thursday afternoon game and begins the final four team, double-elimination portion.
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