Georgia State softball dropped a pair of games against the Presbyterian Blue Hose on Sunday afternoon in Clinton, S.C.
The Panthers were shutout in the first game by a final score of 6-0, then lost game two 4-3 as wild pitches allowed the Blue Hose to come from behind to claim the sweep.
The two losses dropped Georgia State’s record to 11-8.
Game 1
After a scoreless first couple of innings, Blue Hose got on the board first in the bottom half of the third. Junior first baseman and catcher Erin Taylor hit a solo home run to lead off the inning and give Presbyterian a 1-0 lead.
Sophomore utility player Erin Ruff walked, then was driven in by a double off the bat Jill McLean to increase Blue Hose’s advantage to 2-0.
Blue Hose padded their lead in the bottom of the fourth. After a walk from Shelby Petik, sophomore infielder Kersten Legacki singled to move Petik to second. The next two Presbyterian hitters would be retired before sophomore catcher Jordan Ashley singled to drive home Petik and give the Blue Hose a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Ruff led of the frame with a double, which would force Georgia State starting pitcher Kaitlyn Medlam from the game. Taylor Thorpe came in to relieve Medlam.
Later in the inning, Petik singled to drive home Ruff to increase the lead to 4-0.
Legacki then slugged a two-run home run to drive making it 6-0 Presbyterian.
The Panthers’ bats only managed two hits for the game.
Sophomore right handed pitcher Sydney Seigler picked up her fifth win on the season as she went seven innings, gave up only two hits, no runs, no walks and struck out nine.
Medlam was credited with her fourth loss of the season to dropping her record to 7-4. She pitched only four innings, gave up five hits, four runs, two walks, and struck out six.
Game 2
As the second game commenced, the Blue Hose jumped out to an early 1-0 lead.
The following two innings were scoreless until the top of the fourth when Georgia State got on the board.
Lauren Coleman doubled followed by a single off the bat of Megan Litumbe to advance Coleman to third. A single from Callie Alford would plate Coleman to tie the game at one followed by a single from Mallory Koepke.
Kensey Caldwell then reached on an error and advanced to second, allowing Alford and Koepke to score as the Panthers went in front by a score of 3-1.
Presbyterian would get all three of those runs back in its half of the fifth.
Erin Taylor led off the frame with a home run to make it 3-2 Georgia State. Courtney Lawton walked and advanced to third on two wild pitches. McLean tripled to tie the game, then scored on another wild pitch to allow the Blue Hose to retake a 4-3.
The Panthers were able to put runners on the corners with two outs in the top of the seventh but ended leaving both stranded.
Natasha Sherrod, who came in to relieve Presbyterian starter Katie Brown, was awarded her first victory of the season. Katie Worley also came in the game as a reliever for Georgia State starter Eron Milton. She was credited with her first loss on the year.
The next game for the Panthers will be Wednesday at the Heck Softball Complex as they face Mississippi State at 4 p.m.
