Over the weekend at home, South Alabama swept Georgia State softball, outscoring the Panthers 29-21. The losses bring Georgia State to 23-10 on the season and 5-4 in conference play.
The Panthers play next on Wednesday at home in a doubleheader against the Furman Paladins beginning at 3 p.m.
Saturday: 8-7 loss to South Alabama
Taylor Anderson was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first. She later advanced to second, then Ivie Drake drew a walk. Callie Alford then reached base on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases. Megan Litumbe followed with an RBI single, driving in Anderson and giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Lauren Coleman also singled, plating Alford and Drake and upping the lead to 3-0.
Senior Jaguars infielder Kaitlyn Griffith homered in the top of the 2nd, making it a 3-1 game.
Christy and Drake both hit solo home runs in the bottom of the third, increasing Georgia State’s lead to 5-1.
In the top of the third, the Jaguars began the inning with four singles. Freshman infielder Kaleigh Todd, junior outfielder Emily Messer, sophomore infielder Amanda Minahan and junior outfielder Stephanie Pilkington were responsible for the hits.
Minahan’s and Pilkington’s singles drove in Todd and Messer, cutting South Alabama’s deficit to 5-3. Sophomore infielder Chloe Rathburn walked and Griffith later reached base on a fielder’s choice. Minahan was thrown out at home. Freshman South Alabama outfielder Haleigh Lowe was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Pilkington and making it a 5-4 game.
South Alabama scored three more runs over the next three innings as they took a 7-5 lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Christy singled and Drake lofted a two run home run, driving in herself and Christy, tying the game at seven apiece.
In the top of the seventh, Todd reached on an error and later advanced to second on a groundout. Minahan singled as Todd found home, giving South Alabama an 8-7 lead, the game’s final score.
Saturday: 13-11 loss to South Alabama
Todd led the top of the first off with a walk and a steal of second. Minahan followed with a two-run homer as South Alabama took a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Christy singled, then Drake and Alford drew walks, loading the bases. Litumbe grounded out as Christy singled for the Panthers’ first run. Coleman doubled, plating Alford and Drake as Georgia State led 3-2. Mandy Blackwell followed with a two-run homer, scoring her and Coleman and giving the Panthers a 5-2 advantage.
Griffith led off the top of the second with a home run, cutting the South Alabama deficit to 5-3.
In the bottom of the second, Anderson led off with a double, then Christy was hit by a pitch. Drake then hit a two-RBI double, driving in Anderson and Christy as the Panthers’ lead became 7-3.
South Alabama scored seven runs in the next two innings as they assumed a 10-7 lead.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Christy homered, trimming the Panthers’ deficit to 10-8. Drake followed that up with a triple and Alford singled, scoring Drake and making it a 10-9 game. Coleman singled, then advanced on a throwing error. The hit also scored Alford, tying the game at 10.
Todd led off the top of the sixth with a single, then Minahan reached on a fielder’s choice as Todd was thrown out at second. Pilkington doubled as Minahan moved to third. Rathburn doubled as Minahan and Pilkington scored, giving South Alabama a 12-10 lead. Johnson doubled a home Rathburn, increasing the Jaguars’ lead to 13-10.
Alford homered in the bottom of the sixth, bringing Georgia State within two at 13-11, but it would be not enough in the South Alabama victory.
Sunday: 8-3 loss to South Alabama
Anderson homered in the bottom of the first as Georgia State took a 1-0 lead.
With two outs in the top of the second, Lowe, junior infielder Amanda Herron and Messer drew walks, loading the bases before freshman infielder Kristian Foster pinch hit for Todd. Foster singled as Lowe scored, tying the game at one apiece. Minahan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, giving South Alabama a 2-1 lead.
A three-run third increased the Jaguars’ lead to 5-1.
Minahan led off the top of the fourth with a homer as the Jaguars’ lead became 6-1.
Lowe walked, leading off the top of the fifth. Herron doubled as Lowe went to third. Foster and Minahan then hit back-to-back singles as Lowe and Herron scored and the South Alabama lead became 8-1.
Blackwell led off the bottom of the fifth with a homer, making it a 8-2 game. Brown singled and Anderson reached on a fielder’s choice as Brown was thrown out at second. Christy and Drake later hit singles, the latter of which plated Anderson, cutting Georgia State’s deficit to 8-3.
It would not be enough as South Alabama completed the sweep of the Panthers.
