Softball Splits on Day One of I-75 Challenge

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 KENNESAW, Ga. – The Georgia State softball team split a pair of games on Friday in the first day of the I-75 Challenge, falling to Kennesaw State 8-6 in nine innings before earning a 6-2 win over ETSU in the nightcap.

Georgia State led late in the opener before the Owls were able to force extra innings. In the nightcap, the Panthers jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead after three innings and Emily Buck pitched 4.0 innings of three-hit ball to help secure the win.

The Panthers will continue the five-game slate of the I-75 Challenge with the home opener on Saturday hosting Jacksonville State for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The weekend will close out on Sunday hosting Penn State at noon.

Game 1: Kennesaw State 8, Georgia State 6 (9)
Georgia State (2-7) dropped the first game of the I-75 Challenge 8-6 to Kennesaw State (4-6) in nine innings on Friday afternoon at Bailey Park.

The Panthers quickly got on the board with three runs in the top of the first including back-to-back doubles by Bailee Richardson and Sophie Mooney.

The Owls got one back in the bottom of the second and two in the bottom of the third to tie the game 3-3, before Emily Brown singled through the right side to give GSU a 4-3 lead after four innings.

After Kennesaw State tacked on one run in the bottom of the fifth, Carolyn Deady homered in the top of the sixth to give the Panthers the lead once again, 5-4. Brown followed with a ground-out to score Skylar Chavez and the Panthers went ahead 6-4 heading into the seventh.

The Owls rallied after hits from Taylor Cates and Brinaya Bailey combined with an unfortunate error for Georgia State to tie the game at 6-6.

Cates came through again for the Owls in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run home run giving Kennesaw State the win.

Daisy Hess and Mooney each collected two hits on the night, while Brown and Deady each drove in two runs.

Cates led Kennesaw State going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and five RBI. Perrin (1-0) earned the win for the Owls pitching 4.0 innings of four-hit relief.

Mooney (0-2) picked up the loss for Georgia State going 3.1 innings and allowing four runs, including two earned.

Game 2: Georgia State 6, ETSU 2
Georgia State (3-7) scored early and often to hand ETSU (4-7) its second loss of the day in the I-75 Challenge.

Daisy Hess got things going for the Panthers in the bottom of the first with a single scoring Bailee Richardson to give Georgia State a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers got two more in the bottom of the second inning as a Gabby Benson single score Alice Thomas, and then a Richardson double to right scored Brown.

Georgia State added three more in the third on a pair of singles and an error by the ETSU shortstop.

The Bucs managed a run in the top of the fourth and one more in the top of the fifth, but Emily Doolittle allowed just one run in 3.0 innings of relief to help the Panthers secure the win.

Emily Buck (1-2) allowed just three hits over four innings to earn the win, while Riley Tucker (1-2) earned the loss for ETSU allowing nine hits and six runs in just 3.0 innings.

Richardson, Hess, and Deady each picked up a pair of hits for the Panthers in the nightcap.

Following play this weekend, Georgia State will remain at home to host Auburn on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Gabby Benson: OF; 5' 5"; Sophomore; L/L

#19 Emily Brown: OF; 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R

#13 Emily Buck: P; 5' 6"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R

#22 Daisy Hess: IF; 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R

#10 Sophie Mooney: P; 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R

#6 Bailee Richardson: IF; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

#14 Carolyn Deady: C; 6' 1"; Sophomore; R/R

#15 Alice Thomas: OF; 5' 2"; Freshman; L/R

#5 Skylar Chavez: OF; 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#4 Gabby Benson
: 5' 5"; Sophomore; L/L
: OF

#19 Emily Brown
: 5' 6"; Freshman; L/R
: OF

#13 Emily Buck
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Freshman; R/R
: P

#22 Daisy Hess
: 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R
: IF

#10 Sophie Mooney
: 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R
: P

#6 Bailee Richardson
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: IF

#14 Carolyn Deady
: 6' 1"; Sophomore; R/R
: C

#15 Alice Thomas
: 5' 2"; Freshman; L/R
: OF

#5 Skylar Chavez
: 5' 10"; Freshman; R/R
: OF