Three more wins over the weekend equaled a 13-game win streak for Georgia State softball as the Panthers swept the Trojans this weekend at the Heck Softball Complex. The wins increase Georgia State’s record to 16-2 and 3-0 in conference.
Saturday: 15-3 win in five innings
Taylor Anderson was hit by a pitch leading off the first inning. Ashley Christy reached base with a bunt, and moving Anderson to second. Callie Alford followed up with a double, scoring Anderson and Christy, giving Georgia State a 2-0 lead. Megan Litumbe’s seventh homer of the season plated herself and Alford, upping the Panthers’ advantage to 4-0.
Two batters into the bottom of the second, Anderson reached on an error by Troy. Christy singled, moving Anderson to third. Christy later stole second as Anderson reached home, pushing Georgia State’s lead to 5-0. After Lauren Coleman reached on an error, Alford singled, driving in Christy as the Panther lead grew to 6-0. Ivie Drake also hit an RBI single, driving in Coleman and expanding the lead to 7-0.
Morgan Brown hit an infield single in the bottom of the third, then Anderson doubled, putting runners at second and third. Christy later hit a sacrifice fly allowing Brown to score and increase Georgia State’s lead to 8-0.
Alford led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer as the Panthers assumed a 9-0 edge. Drake later singled before Cassidy Faulk pinch ran for her. Litumbe reached on a fielder’s choice before Brenna Skalski pinch ran for her.
Later in the frame with two runners in scoring position, Brown singled, plating Faulk and Skalski and extending the lead to 11-0. Brown also advanced to third on a Troy fielding error.
Anderson singled, driving in Brown and making it a 12-0 game. Christy singled as Anderson scored from second, putting the Panthers up 13-0. Christy stole second, then Coleman walked as runners were on first and second. Alford’s fourth hit of the game was a double, plating Christy and Coleman, increasing Georgia State’s lead to 15-0.
In the top of the fifth, after junior infielder Khadija Neely reached base, senior pitcher Jaycee Affeldt hit a two-run home run scoring the first two runs of the game for Troy. Senior outfielder Chelsea Eytel followed that up with a solo homer, making the score 15-3. Two outs later, the Panthers had earned their first victory of the series, 15-3 via the run rule.
Saturday: 4-0 win
Drake led off the bottom of the second with a walk, then Litumbe doubled, advancing Drake to third. She scored on a wild pitch that also moved Litumbe to third, as the Panthers took a 1-0 lead.
Anderson led off the bottom of the third with a single before advancing to second. Coleman singled in Anderson, upping the Panthers’ lead to 2-0. After Drake doubled, moving Coleman to third, Litumbe singled, plating Drake and Coleman as Georgia State’s lead became 4-0.
The lead would hold for the remainder of the game as Panthers pitcher Katie Worley threw a no-hitter through seven innings.
Sunday: 4-3 win
In the bottom of the first, Christy reached on a bad Troy throw. She later stole second, then Coleman and Alford drew walks, loading the bases. Drake cleared the bases with a double, plating all three baserunners and giving Georgia State an early 3-0 lead.
Junior Troy outfielder Amanda Winters led off the top of the second with a double before sophomore Trojans shortstop Becca Hartley walked. Winters moved to third on a wild pitch that also had Hartley move to second. Junior infielder Kate Benson later singled, driving in Winters and Hartley and closing the gap to 3-2.
With two outs in the top of the sixth, Neely doubled before junior infielder Hannah Day singled, allowing Neely to reach home, tying the game at three apiece.
Drake hit a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth, as Georgia State retook the lead at 4-3.
Troy would be retired in order in the top of the seventh, sealing a sweep for the Panthers and an extension of the winning streak to 13.
Georgia State looks to continue as it hosts Tennessee Tech for a home doubleheader on Wednesday at 3 and 5 p.m.
