What you need to know:

* Georgia State defeated Mercer 8-2 Sunday evening in the final game of the Panther Invitational.

* GSU improves to 4-6 with the win, earning victories in four of its last five contests.

* GSU hosts St. John's Wednesday at 3 p.m. at the Heck Softball Complex.

ATLANTA – Georgia State's softball team used three home runs to take down in-state rival Mercer 8-2 Sunday evening in the final game of the Panther Invitational at the Bob Heck Softball Complex.

The Panthers (4-6) jumped to a 1-0 lead thanks to an Ivie Drake leadoff home run in the bottom of the first. GSU added another run in the inning as Mandy Blackwell scored from second off a two-out Kensey Caldwell RBI-single. GSU made it 5-0 with a three-run third inning, highlighted by a Caldwell two-run bomb, her second home run of the season.

Mercer (3-6) made things interesting in the top of the fourth, scoring two runs to make it a 5-2 ballgame, but Georgia State pulled away in the bottom half of the inning with a bases-loaded infield single and Blackwell's second RBI of the game, a sac fly with the bases loaded.

With her team up 7-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Drake added an insurance run with another solo home run, her second of the game and third of the season. Drake finished the game 2-for-2 with two RBI, four runs and two walks. Blackwell was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI and Caldwell finished 2-for-3 with a run and three RBI.

Annie Davis (1-1) earned the win with 3.1 innings in relief of Katie Worley. Worley got the start and recorded seven strikeouts through 3.2 innings. Davis, a transfer from Wisconsin, went the final 3.1 and allowed just two hits to get her first GSU victory.

Georgia State is home again on Wednesday for a 3 p.m. game against St. John's. Admission is free to the public.

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