ATLANTA – The Georgia State Panthers (19-11, 1-2 SBC) secured an 8-7 extra-innings victory Tuesday afternoon, walking it off in the eighth inning to lift the Panthers past Alabama State.
Briana Bower earned the win in relief, turning in a dominant performance down the stretch. Bower tossed four innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit while striking out five.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Alabama State struck first in the second inning, plating two runs on an RBI double and a GSU miscue to take a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers answered in the bottom half of the inning when Lauren Brister scored on an error to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Alabama State extended its lead in the fourth, scoring four runs on a pair of RBI singles and a two-run double to go in front 6-1.
Georgia State responded in the bottom of the fourth as Brister stole home to make it 6-2.
In the fifth, the Panthers added another run when Maya Bagsby scored on an error, trimming the deficit to 6-3.
Georgia State continued to chip away in the sixth, as Allison Jones doubled to bring home Payton O'Connor, making it 6-4.
Alabama State pushed its lead to 7-4 in the seventh.
The Panthers answered with a three-run seventh inning to tie the game. McKenzie Walker scored on a steal attempt, Brister singled home Bagsby, and O'Connor delivered a game-tying RBI triple to even the score at 7-7.
In the eighth, Georgia State completed the comeback as Zoey Defoor scored on Chloe Hatcher's sacrifice fly, securing the 8-7 walk-off win.
GAME NOTES
» Georgia State recorded three-hit performances from three different Panthers.
» Briana Bower struck out five in a strong relief outing.
» The Panthers' biggest inning came in the seventh, plating three runs.
» Georgia State out-hit Alabama State, 13-9.
» Maya Bagsby and Lauren Brister each stole two bases.
» The Panthers swiped six bases as a team.
» Panthers pitching faced 38 hitters, inducing 11 groundouts and five flyouts while striking out seven.
» McKenzie Walker led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a triple.
ON DECK
The Panthers head to Troy, Ala., for a three-game weekend series against the Troy Trojans. The series begins Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m., continues Saturday at 3 p.m., and concludes Sunday, March 22 at 1 p.m.
