Georgia State softball opened the USF Under Armour Tournament in Clearwater, Fla. on Friday morning with a 3-1 victory over the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils.
Central Connecticut State jumped on the board first with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.
With two outs, freshman catcher Hannah Cooper doubled to left field, scoring Brittany Ernst. Ernst was on base as a pinch runner for Nicole Springer, who singled earlier in the inning.
In the top of the fifth, MeQuilla Franklin was hit by a pitch and Lauren Coleman singled to left field. Callie Alford followed with a three run homer that gave Georgia State a 3-1 lead and the eventual win.
Both pitchers went the full seven innings and give up five hits.
The Panthers’ Katie Worley won her fourth game of the season while the Blue Devils’ Laura Messina picked up her first loss of the season.
Game 2
Georgia State won their second game of the USF Under Armour Tournament over the Western Michigan Broncos by a final score of 11-2.
The Panthers plated five runs in the top of the first inning.
A Callie Alford double drove in Taylor Anderson, Ashley Christy, and Lauren Coleman. Alford would later score on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the third inning, Melissa Palmer and Caity Pixley both drew walks. Broncos shortstop, Sabrina Gamboa, tripled to drive in Palmer and Jenny Rohn, who came in to pinch run for Pixley earlier in the inning.
The score was 6-2 in Georgia State’s favor heading into the top of the seventh inning.
The Panthers ended the game as they began, with another five run inning.
Georgia State pieced together several walks and two hits, including an Anderson triple, to produce their five runs.
Look ahead to Day 2
Georgia State (10-7) versus Kent State (3-7)
10:00 A.M.
After victories on Friday versus Central Connecticut State and Western Michigan, Georgia State will take on the Kent State Golden Flashes in the first of two match ups Saturday.
Callie Alford started the tournament in a big way Friday with seven RBIs in two games, pushing her season total to 15.
Kent State had one win and one loss Friday.
Georgia State (10-7) versus Stephen F. Austin (5-10)
12:15 P.M.
Georgia State will play its second of two Saturday games versus the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks.
The RBI leaders for the Panthers are senior Paige Nowacki (16) and sophomore Callie Alford (15).
Stephen F. Austin split their two games on Friday.
