JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Georgia State played two nine-inning contests Saturday at the Osprey Invite, beating South Dakota State 5-4 before falling to North Florida 7-6.
Game 1: Georgia State 5, South Dakota State 4 (9 innings)
Annie Davis had a tremendous start in the circle Saturday, carrying a perfect game through 5.2 innings. Georgia State went on top 2-0 in the second inning off a Morgan Brown double that scored Baylee Sexton and Taylor Bradley. The score would remain 2-0 all the way to the top of the seventh when South Dakota State finally broke through, tying the game at 2-2.
Using the International Tie Breaker rules, both teams were awarded a runner on second to start each extra inning. The Jackrabbits scored two runs on two hits in the eighth to lead 4-2, but GSU had some magic left. In the bottom half, Megan Litumbe pinch hit and doubled to center field to score one. The next batter, Ivie Drake, laid down a sac bunt that was in the perfect place for the tying run to score from third.
GSU held SDSU off the board in the top of the ninth, setting up the Panthers for a walkoff. With runners on first and second and no outs, Kensey Caldwell used a sac bunt to advance the winning run to third. SDSU loaded the bases to have a force out, but it didn't matter as Mandy Blackwell delivered a pinch hit, walkoff single down the left field line to give GSU the 5-4 win.
Game 2: North Florida 7, Georgia State 6
Georgia State and North Florida played long into the night on Saturday. Originally scheduled to start at 8:15, the game didn't get underway until after 9 p.m. GSU opened the scoring in the second with a 2-run single off the bat of Reagan Morgan. North Florida answered with a run in the home half and the score would remain 2-1 until the Ospreys pulled ahead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. For the second game in a row, GSU once again needed a big hit to stay alive.
Caldwell started the inning with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. Morgan delivered again, getting her third RBI of the game and tying the score at 3-3. GSU would hold the Ospreys scoreless in the bottom of the seventh so for the second game in a row, GSU would head to extras.
Georgia State scored in the top of the eighth with a Kirsten McMonigle single, but UNF evened the score in the home half. GSU scored two in the ninth thanks to RBI from Remington Hasty and Taylor Bradley. North Florida then got two bases loaded singles to tie the game before an infield single won it for the Ospreys.
Georgia State visits Mercer on Wednesday.
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