AUDIO INTERVIEWS
Pitcher McCall Langford
Pitcher Alana Thomas
ATLANTA, Ga. -- Georgia State pitchers McCall Langford and Alana Thomas each pitched a complete game to lead the Panthers to a two-game sweep over the Western Carolina Catamounts, 8-1 and 5-0.
Langford (8-1) won game one going the distance allowing only one run on six hits. The LaGrange, Ga., native also struckout a career-high six batters. In game two, Thomas (5-2) pitched a shutout allowing only five hits without walking a batter.
Danielle Roddy went 4-for-7 with three RBI to lead GSU on the day.
The Panthers return to action Wednesday when they host Chattanooga in a doubleheader that is set to begin at 5 p.m.
Game One - Georgia State 8, Western Carolina 1
The Panthers scored three runs in the second, primarily on Catamount errors, to take an early 3-0 lead. Following a Lily Skelton hit by pitch, Megan Kallatsa hit a fielder's choice, but an error on the second baseman allowed Skelton to advance to second. Rebecca Roles next hit a single scoring Skelton, before freshman Carrie Williams hit a single to centerfield, scoring Roles and Cunningham.
GSU tallied another two runs in the fourth to push the lead to 5-0. After Rachel Cunningham and Roles singled, Williams landed on first after an error by the third baseman, scoring Cunningham. Following a pitching change, pinch runner Emily Whitaker scored on an illegal pitch by Bekah Burkett.
In the sixth, Cassie Boese reached on an error by the second baseman to open the inning. Roddy stepped up and doubled to right field, scoring Boese. Reigning CAA co-Rookie of the Week Audrey Mason tripled to right center, scoring Roddy. Mason later scored on a Skelton sac fly.
The Catamounts scored their lone run in the sixth inning on a Colby Liles ground out, which scored Chelsea Schaffer.
On the day, the Catamounts had five errors that led to five of the Panthers' eight runs.
Leading the way for the Panthers was Mason, who had a double, a triple, a RBI and two runs scored. Williams produced two RBI and Roles was 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Suffering the loss for the Catamounts was pitcher Katie King (0-14), who went three innings allowing five (two earned) runs on five hits.
Game Two - Georgia State 5, Western Carolina 0
The Panthers, who are 6-1 when they lead after the first inning and 7-2 when they score in the first, picked up a pair of runs in the first. Junior Lauren Jones knocked her seventh home run of the season, a career high, to score Mason, giving GSU a 2-0 lead.
GSU added a run in the fifth to extend the lead to 3-0. In a strange play, Boese hit a grounder to the third baseman, but beat out the throw. As Boese reached first, Roddy was trying to advance to third after a poor throw saw the ball go past the first baseman. As Roddy was trying to round third she collided with the third baseman, knocking both to the ground. A fielder's interference was called allowing Roddy to hobble home for the score.
A pair of runs in the sixth put the game out of reach. A Roddy double allowed Paige Nowacki and Tiffany Bess to score. However, Roddy was thrown out at third as she and the third baseman again collided on the play.
Five runs was plenty for Thomas who scattered five hits to throw the complete game.
Roddy went 3-for-4 with two RBI to continue her strong play of recent. Jones added a homer and two RBI.
With her two doubles today, Roddy moves into a tie for second in Georgia State history with former Panther Cheryl Bodziony (43).
