Earlier in the year, Georgia State softball had won eight straight games. Now, the team has lost eight straight as the Panthers were swept on the road by the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns. The team was run-ruled in all three games on the road in Louisiana.
The team is now 23-15 on the season and only 5-7 in conference play.
Georgia State hopes to return to its winning ways on Tuesday in a doubleheader at home against Tennessee Tech.
Friday: 10-1 loss to Cajuns (run-rule)
Louisiana-Lafayette set the tone for the series in the bottom of the second. Senior outfielder Leandra Maly walked before freshman infielder D.J. Sanders hit a singles, placing runners at first and second. Senior utility player Meagan Thomas drew a walk, loading the bases. Freshman outfielder Kelli Martinez hit a sacrifice fly as Maly scored from third, giving the Cajuns a 1-0 lead. With runners at second and third due to a Georgia State throwing error, junior utility player Shellie Landry hit a two-run double as Sanders and Thomas scored, upping the Cajuns lead to 3-0.
In the top of the fourth, Megan Litumbe got the Panthers on the board with a two-out solo home run, bringing Georgia State within 3-1.
Sophomore infielder Haley Hayden led the bottom of the fourth off with a walk before Landry doubled, plating Hayden and making it a 4-1 game. She moved to third on a throwing error before Elkins extended the lead to 5-1 on a sacrifice fly as Landry scored. Redshirt junior utility player Samantha Walsh reached base on an error, setting the stage for a Maly RBI-single as Walsh scored, giving Louisiana-Lafayette a 6-1 lead.
Thomas and Martinez led off the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back bunt singles. Hayden singled, scoring Thomas and extending the Cajuns’ lead to 7-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, junior infielder Kelsey Vincent doubled, then Maly walked. Sanders followed by hitting a three-run homer (the first of her career), growing the Cajuns’ lead to 10-1, their eventual margin of victory.
Saturday: 10-2 loss to Cajuns (run-rule)
The Cajuns also began this game with a 3-0 lead, but plated their three in the first instead of the second. After Hayden and Landry walked, junior catcher Lexie Elkins hit a three-run homer for the 3-0 advantage.
Georgia State would score two in the top of the second. Lauren Coleman led the frame off with a single before Litumbe lofted her second homer of the series as she and Coleman scored, cutting the Panthers deficit to 3-2.
That deficit became two again at 4-2 in the bottom of the second. Redshirt freshman outfielder Aleah Craighton doubled, then Martinez hit a single. Hayden followed that with a triple as Martinez scored, making the game 4-2.
With two outs in the bottom of the third, Vincent’s solo home run extended the lead to 5-2.
Sanders led off the bottom of the fourth with a double before Martinez placed in a bunt single as Sanders advanced to third, placing runners on the corners. Hayden hit a sacrifice fly as Sanders found home from third, increasing the Cajuns’ lead to 6-2.
Elkins began the top of the fifth with a double before junior outfielder Cassidy White pinch ran for Elkins. White stole third, then scored as Vincent hit a sacrifice fly, making the game 7-2 after five innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, Sanders led the frame with a walk before stealing second base. Martinez later walked with Sanders on third base. A Panthers wild pitch plated Sanders, making the lead for UL-Lafayette grow to 8-2. After Hayden walked and Landry hit a single, Elkins hit a ground ball that was misplayed and led to two more Cajuns runs, extending their lead to 10-2, Louisiana-Lafayette’s margin of victory.
Saturday: 8-0 loss to Cajuns (run-rule)
The Cajuns scored five runs in the first. Hayden led off with a walk, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Landry walked, Elkins singled, driving home Hayden, giving Louisiana-Lafayette a 1-0 lead. Walsh walked and junior infielder Kelsey Vincent hit a grand slam, plating herself, Walsh, Elkins, and Landry, extending the Cajuns’ lead to 5-0.
Hayden doubled with one out in the bottom of the second before Landry’s two-run homer expanded Louisiana-Lafayette’s lead to 7-0. Elkins made it back-to-back home runs as her solo shot made it an 8-0 Cajuns game.
The Panthers only managed three hits as UL-Lafayette defeated Georgia State in five innings via the run rule, completing their sweep.
