PANTHERSVILLE, Ga. (02/18/07) - Danielle Roddy hit the game winning single in the championship game as Georgia State (5-4) softball came back from two down to defeat Furman (2-4-1) 9-7 at the Panther Invitational on Sunday evening at Bob Heck Field.

Georgia State notched the first point in the first inning when Nichole Griffin (Leesburg, Ga./Lee County) doubled to cross Roddy (Canton, Ga./Woodstock).  Furman scored two runs off of singles in the second.  State answered back with two runs of its own in the bottom.

The Paladins plated another run in the fourth and again in the fifth frame taking a 4-3 lead.  Roddy, a freshman hit a bases clearing single to give the Panthers a 5-4 advantage.  Furman crossed three runners on two doubles and a single to retake the lead at 7-5 in the sixth inning.

Down 7-5 with two runners on base and two outs, the Panthers make a pitching change to get the final out.  State rallied from two down, crossing four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to win 9-7 after shutting out Furman in the seventh frame.  Rachel Cunningham (Alpharetta, Ga./South Forsyth) hit the single to plate Alison Bradford (McDonough, Ga./Henry County) followed by Roddy's single to take the lead 8-7. Jackie Jaegle (Kennesaw, Ga./Kell) later followed with a single to plate Mary Kathryn Branan (Alpharetta, Ga./Milton).

Elizabeth Thomas (1-0) garnered her first win as a Panther, holding the Paladins to one hit while striking out two batters in 1.1 innings.  Lana Mackey took the loss for the Paladins.

In game one for State, Mercer opened the first frame with a solo home run by Jamie Madruga.

Nikki Bradford (McDonough, Ga./Henry County) led off with a homer to left center tying the score at one.  Jaegle, a sophomore, sent a double down the left line scoring Roddy in the third inning.  Jaegle scored on the following play on an error to give State a 4-1 lead.

In the fourth frame, Lily Skelton (McDonough, Ga./Union Grove) blasted a two-run homer followed by a Roddy solo home run.  After a pitching change and two outs, Jessica Gowin (Cohutta, Ga./Northwest Whitfield) hit a double to plate Griffin and extend the Panthers lead to 7-1.

Georgia State cross four more runners in the fifth.  Jaegle hit the first RBI, plating Lauren Fetters (Canton, Ga./Sequoyah).  Sophomore Griffin followed with a three-run smash, clearly out the park, which put the Panthers up by 10.  State held Mercer scoreless in the fifth to win 11-1.

Madi Gore (3-1) picked up the victory for State while striking out seven batters and giving up one earned run. Lindsay Hazzard dropped to 0-2 for Mercer.

Georgia State will host Georgia Southern on Tuesday afternoon in a doubleheader at Bob Heck Field.  First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.