Two GSU Softball Players Earn CAA Weekly Awards

Softball Robert Carnes/Sports Communications

Panthers Split Two Games in Final Day of Tournament

PANTHERSVILLE, Ga. — The Georgia State softball team split two games Sunday afternoon, defeating Western Carolina 7-5 and losing to Longwood 7-11.

Over 300 fans braved the weather to watch the second and final game of the GSU First Pitch Classic. Western Carolina also defeated ETSU 11-10 in the consolation game of the tournament.

Game 1: GSU 7, WCU 5

Paige Nowacki hit a grand slam in the sixth inning as Georgia State overcame a four-run deficit to defeat the Western Carolina Catamounts 7-5 Sunday afternoon. Nowacki was 3 for 3 in the game with four RBI and a walk.

The Panthers earned their third win in as many games to start the 2012 season in the last day of the GSU First Pitch Classic at the Robert E. Heck Softball Complex.

Alana Thomas allowed only two hits in 3.2 innings pitched in route to earning the victory in relief of starter Kaitlyn Medlam. Medlam earned a 3-2 win during the Panthers' first game over Longwood.

The Panthers posted a run in the first when a Brenna Morrissey single scored Carrie Williams from second. Western Carolina evened the score at one in the third and then took a 5-1 lead by scoring four in the fourth inning, which featured a three-run home run by Erin Foster.

Lauren Coleman added a solo home run, her second on the season, in the fifth inning. Brenna Morrissey added a pair of singles and an RBI.

WCU starter Katie King got the no-decision after pitching five innings with four runs. In the sixth inning, King yielded to reliever Jordan Garrett, who surrendered the Nowacki grand slam and suffered the loss.

Game 2: GSU 7, Longwood 11

Georgia State fell in the final game of the GSU First Pitch Classic to the Longwood Lancers. Longwood notched 11 runs on as many hits en route to the 11-7 victory.

The Panthers attempted a comeback by scoring five runs in in the top of the fifth, but came up short. Two-run home runs by Emily Althafer and Carrie Williams brought GSU within five.

Althafer, who was three-for-three in the game with four RBI, added another home run in the sixth, her third on the weekend, to bring the Panthers to their final tally of seven runs.

The Lancers plated two runs in both the second, third and seven runs in the fourth. Marci Christian had a two-run homer in the third and Megan Baltzell added a three-run triple in the fourth.

Whitney Phillips doubled and scored on a Lancer error in the third. The Panthers loaded the bases with two outs in the inning, but failed to capitalize and stranded all three runners.

GSU Starter McCall Langford pitched 3.0 innings giving up four runs on seven hits. Erin Collins was tagged for seven runs in the fourth, only one of which was earned.

Kaitlyn Medlam entered the game in the fourth and shut the door on the Longwood scoring frenzy, working 2.0 innings while only surrending one hit.

The Panthers play again Wednesday, Feb. 15 with a double header against the Georgia Southern Eagles in Statesboro, Ga. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

www.GeorgiaStateSports.com

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