Game 51-53 at James Madison
Game 51: Friday, April 24 @ 5 p.m.
Game 52: Saturday, April 25 @ 1 p.m.
Game 53: Sunday, April 26 @ 12 p.m.
Location: Harrisonburg, Va.
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ATLANTA – Georgia State softball rolls into Harrisonburg, Va., for a final regular season road series against the James Madison Dukes starting Friday, April 24. First pitch for game one is set for 5 p.m. Saturday's game will start at 1 p.m. and the series will conclude on Sunday with the last game starting at 12 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY
Georgia State and James Madison have met 39 times in a series that dates back to April 8, 2006. Georgia State leads the all-time series 20-19. The Panthers opened the matchup with a strong start in 2006, winning the first three meetings on April 8 and April 9. Georgia State enters the upcoming contest on a six-game losing streak in the series, with JMU having controlled majority of the recent meetings.
SMASHING START
The Georgia State Panthers kicked off their season with the program's best start since 2008, sweeping the UWG Opening Weekend Event with a perfect 5-0 record. Over the weekend, GSU racked up 50 runs on 74 hits, boasting a scorching .446 team batting average. The Panthers showcased their power with six doubles, three triples, and four home runs, while their pitching held opponents to a stingy .169 batting average.
SUN BELT DOMINANCE
The Georgia State Panthers have continued their strong campaign into week 11, leading the Sun Belt in hits (418) and team strikeouts per seven innings (6.42). The Panthers also rank second in stolen bases per game (1.35), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.47), total stolen bases (66) and WHIP (1.31), while placing third in batting average (.307) and hits allowed per seven innings (6.57), and fifth in triples (9).
Individually, Makayla Stephens continues to headline a dominant pitching staff, leading the Sun Belt in complete games (19), hits allowed per seven innings (4.98), shutouts (4), strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.31), strikeouts (202), strikeouts per seven innings (8.0) and WHIP (0.89). She also ranks second in games started (26), innings pitched (175.2) and victories (16), third in pitching appearances (35) and walks allowed per seven innings (1.28), while placing sixth in earned run average (2.47). Briana Bower has been a key complement in the circle, ranking seventh in innings pitched (126.1), seventh in games started (20), ninth in complete games (8) and ninth in strikeouts (83), while also ranking 14th in pitching appearances (26).
Offensively, McKenzie Walker fuels the top of the lineup, ranking second in hits (64), runs (52) and runs per game (1.06). She also ranks fourth in batting average (.400), while placing second in stolen bases (19) and third in stolen bases per game (0.39). Maya Bagsby continues to be a spark on the basepaths, leading the Sun Belt in stolen bases (20), ranking second in stolen bases per game (0.41) and third in hits (58).
INSIDE THE CIRCLE
Georgia State will feature a fresh look inside the circle this season as the Panthers' return only one pitcher from last season, Makayla Stephens. Stephens made 27 appearances during the 2025 campaign, striking out 103 batter to rank seventh in the conference in strikeouts and fourth in strikeouts looking (33). She will be joined by a group of newcomers in the circle, as freshman Brynn Belstle and Illinois transfer Briana Bower look to add new style to the Panthers' pitching staff.
NEW TO THE A
Georgia State welcomes nine new faces to the roster for the upcoming season, including four freshmen and five transfers ready to make an immediate impact. Freshmen Kya Walker, Maya Bagsby, Brynn Belstle and Samantha Breaux bring youthful energy and potential, while transfers Caitlyn Hall (Abilene Christian), Briana Bower (Illinois), Allison Jones (Rhode Island) and Dillyn Suggs (Campbell) bring collegiate experience to bolster the Panthers' lineup.
GEORGIA ON OUR MIND
Georgia State's roster reflects a strong homegrown presence, with 14 out of 21 players hailing from the Peach State. The remaining seven players bring added depth to the roster, representing Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Missouri (1) and Texas (1).
NADLER HERE TO STAY
Following two standout seasons with the Panthers, Nadler joined the Owens coaching staff as a Graduate Assistant. She concluded her senior campaign as the team's offensive leader, starting 46 of 47 games. Nadler led the 2024 roster in nearly every major statistical category, including batting average (.296), home runs (7), triples (2), RBI (22), slugging (.520), and OBP (.390). During a highlight performance against Robert Morris on Feb. 23, 2024, she etched herself into the record book with a single-game home runs record (2), marking the second highest in a single game in program history.
Admission is free to all Georgia State softball home games in 2026.
