STATESBORO, Ga. – Strong pitching from Georgia Southern led the Eagles past the Elon softball team in a doubleheader today, April 28, at Eagle Field. GSU (34-17, 18-2 SoCon) won the first game, 6-5, in eight innings and the second, 4-0, over the Phoenix (20-21, 9-12 SoCon).
Game 1
The Eagles got on the board first with a two-run homer to right field by Marie Fogle to take a 2-0 lead. Fogle scored Hanna Ennis who singled down the left field line to reach base.
With two out in the top of the third, Ali Ford reached first on a throwing error by GSU pitcher Sarah Purvis. After stealing second, Ford was sent home on a single by Carleigh Nester that pulled the Phoenix within one run, 2-1.
Three scoreless innings later, Elon took the lead over the Eagles. Nester hit a leadoff single up the middle to start the sixth and moved to second on a bunt to first by McKenzie Harrelson. Tomeka Watson then hit a home run to left center, her fifth of the season, to score three runs and put the maroon and gold up by two, 4-2.
Kari Pervell relieved Erin O’Shea in the bottom of the frame, but after the Eagles scored two runs to tie the game, O’Shea re-entered the circle. GSU scored another run off a double by Ennis to regain the lead, 5-4, and send the game into the top of the seventh.
Elon rebounded to tie the Eagles and keep the game alive. Camille Hill was hit by a pitch to start the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Ford. With two outs, Lauren Oldham singled to left and advanced Hill to third. Watson then drew a walk and loaded the bases for E. O’Shea. Hill scored to make it a five-all game off a single to left by E. O’Shea.
The Eagles scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth off a two-out double to right by Mackenzie Williams that scored Lexi Allen and ended the game, 6-5. Allen had reached on a throwing error by E. O’Shea to leadoff the bottom of the inning.
Purvis earned the win (17-9), pitching the complete game and giving up five runs off seven hits and striking out 10. The loss went E. O’Shea (13-11) after seven total innings of work. The senior allowed two earned runs off five hits and fanned eight batters.
Nester recorded a pair hits in four at-bats along with one run and one RBI. Watson recorded three RBI off her homer in the sixth.
Game 2
The Eagles scored all its runs in the bottom of the third, taking the 4-0 lead. GSU earned its first two runs off a one-out single down the left field line by Andrea Tarashuk. Jorie Walker scored on a wild pitch to make it a 3-0 game, while the fourth run was scored by Kourtny Thomas from third after a muffed throw by Ford. Chelsea White then replaced starter Karen Berna in the circle for the Phoenix and recorded the third out to end the inning.
The Phoenix got its one hit of the game off a one-out double by Hill in the top of the sixth. Hill was later caught stealing third base to end the half inning.
Elon had its best chance to score in the top of the seventh with two on and one out. Both Harrelson and Watson drew walks to reach base, however, the maroon and gold were not able to push any runs across the plate and fell by a final of 4-0.
GSU starter Allie Miles (6-5) earned the win in the complete game shutout, giving up just the one hit and striking out nine. Berna fell to 2-3 on the year after allowing three earned runs off five hits in 2.1 innings. White pitched 3.2 shutout innings, facing 12 batters and striking out two.
The Phoenix will look to keep the Eagles from the series sweep tomorrow, April 29, in a 1 p.m. game.