Georgia State softball opened its 2015 home schedule with a pair of victories over the Savannah State Tigers. The Panthers defeated Savannah State on the first game by a final of 16-8 and earned a 14-5 win later that Friday from the Heck Softball Complex.
Game One: 16-8 victory in six innings
The game started with Tigers sophomore outfielder Alexis Singleton hitting a single before junior first baseman Torrian Wright reached base, moving Singleton to third as Wright moved to second. Sophomore pitcher Ama Hallman singled to score Singleton giving Savannah State a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Taylor Anderson reached on an error, then Lauren Coleman walked. A double by Ivie Drake allowed Anderson to reach home, tying the score at one apiece.
After a walk to senior third baseman Amber Hallman in the top of the third, Wright hit a two-run home run, increasing the Tigers’ lead to 3-1.
In the bottom of the third, homers by Coleman and Callie Alford tied Georgia State with the Tigers at three apiece.
A single by Ashley Christy was followed by Mallory Koepke reaching base on an error, moving Christy to third.
A throwing error by Savannah State allowed Christy to find home, increasing Georgia State’s lead to 7-3. Anderson singled, moving Koepke to third, then Morgan Brown singled, plating Koepke and moving Anderson to third.
Alford would reach base on a fielder’s choice, but Anderson was thrown out at third base.
Drake singled, scoring Brown and moving Alford to third, then Litumbe homered, driving in herself as well as Drake and Alford. Georgia State increased the lead to 12-3.
Senior Savannah State outfielder Kylie Tierce led off the top of the fourth with a home run. With two outs in the inning, Singleton walked, then singles by Amber Hallman and Wright eventually moved Singleton to home plate as the Tigers cut the deficit to 12-5. Ama Hallman homered, plating Wright and Amber Hallman bringing Savannah State to 12-8.
The bottom of the fourth would see Koepke hitting a single, then Brown drawing a walk. A double by Coleman allowed Koepke and Brown to find home, raising the Georgia State lead to 14-8.
In the bottom of the sixth, walks to Koepke and Brown set the stage or a two-RBI single by Coleman as Georgia State’s lead became 16-8, and completing an eight-run victory by way of the run rule.
Game Two: 14-5 victory
The bottom of the fifth saw Singleton double, then Wright hit a two-run home run, giving Savannah State an early 2-0 lead.
Koepke walked in the top of the third, then stole second later in the frame. A two-run homer by Anderson tied it up at two apiece.
After a single by Brown and a walk to Coleman, Alford singled and went to second on a Savannah State throwing error. The miscue allowed Brown to score, giving Georgia State its first lead of the game at 3-2.
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Coleman walked, then the Panthers would get a two-run home run by Alford, increasing the Panthers’ lead to 5-2.
Wright led off the bottom of the fifth with a home run before Ama Hallman singled. Freshman pitcher Ashley Eichenlaub’s two-run homer tied it up again at 5-5.
Litumbe led off the top of the sixth with a walk before being pinch ran for by Brenna Skalski.
Anderson stole second, which would lead to Koepke scoring on a throwing error along with Anderson moving to third.
Two batters later, Coleman walked, then Cassidy Faulk pinch ran for Coleman. Faulk would also steal second then advance to third on a throwing error as Anderson scored, expanding the Georgia State lead to 10-5. A groundout by Alford plated Faulk, extended the Panthers’ advantage to 11-5.
Taylor Bradley pinch ran for Caldwell, then Koepke doubled, and plating Bradley making it a 12-5 game. Christy later scored on a wild pitch that also saw Koepke move to third. A groundout from Anderson scored Koepke, increasing the Georgia State lead to 14-5.
The Panthers would win by a final of 14-5.
