ATLANTA -- Georgia State softball head coach Bob Heck earned his 700th career victory on Sunday as the Panthers defeated Appalachian State, 3-0, on day two of the Panther Invitational. The victory was also the 800th in school history. In game two, GSU fell to Lipscomb, 4-2.
GSU returns to action this Wednesday when it travels to Auburn, Ala., to face off against the SEC-member Tigers in a 6 p.m. ET matchup. Last season the Panthers defeated Auburn 6-5 in eight innings at Panthersville. For the first time ever for GSU softball, fans can follow and chat about the game on a live blog that will be on the GeorgiaStateSports.com website. More information will be provided in the preview release on Monday.
Game Two - Georgia State 3, Appalachian State 0
Paige Nowacki went 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBI and freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Medlam improved to 3-0 as the Panthers defeated the Mountaineers, 3-0, for Heck's 700th career victory as GSU coach. It was also the 800th win in program history.
Heck, who started the GSU fast-pitch program in 1985, reached the 700-win mark in his 24th season at the helm of the Panther softball program.
The Panthers started quickly, plating two runs in the top of the first. After a Lauren Jones' single and throwing error by the shortstop plated Jessica Clifton, a Nowacki single drove in Whitney Phillips. GSU added an insurance run in the sixth off a Nowacki solo homer, her first of the season. Nowacki is now 6-for-8 with three RBI and a homer in her last three games.
GSU used three pitchers to claim the shutout, with Medlam (3-0) keeping her ERA at 0.00 for the season. The Bethlehem, Ga., native was relieved by Erin Collins who pitched 1.2 innings, allowing only a single hit. Collins managed to maneuver through a bases-loaded, no-out situation with no damage and junior Alana Thomas closed out the final 1.1 innings to earn her first save of the season.
Game Four - Lipscomb 4, Georgia State 2
Lipscomb pitcher Whitney Kiihnl fanned 10 Georgia State batters as the Lady Bison knocked off the Panthers, 4-2, in the final game of the Panther Invitational.
Kiihnl threw another gem for the Lady Bison, allowing only two Panther hits and two runs to go along with the 10 Ks.
The Lady Bison picked up a pair of early runs in the first inning as Mollie Mitchell smashed a two-run homer off starting pitcher McCall Langford (0-3). Langford allowed four runs on four hits in 3.1 innings of work.
Lipscomb scored what proved to be the gamewinner in the third inning when a high throw by shortstop Paige Nowacki slipped through the glove of first baseman Lauren Jones allowing runners to sit at the corners. A sacrifice fly by Mitchell scored the third run. The Lady Bison picked up an insurance run in the fourth when a wild pitch by Langford scored Caroline Mason.
The Panthers scored their first run on an illegal pitch by starter Whitney Kiihnl and their second on a sharp single hit by Christina Reed that scored Lauren Jones.
Game One - Memphis 1, Lipscomb 0
Heather Mott smashed a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to give Memphis (6-2) a 1-0 victory over Lipscomb (2-6). Carly Hummel (5-0) earned the victory for the Tigers.
Game Two - Memphis 1, Appalachian State 0
Memphis pitcher Janelle Valle hurled a six-hit shut out as the Tigers finished the Panther Invitational at 4-0 with a 1-0 victory over Appalachian State.
