Georgia Southern Splits Doubleheader at Savannah State, Claims First Game 1-0
Freshman pitcher Dixie Raley is now 2nd all-time for wins in a single season with 21
Highlights:
• Dixie Raley had 9 strikeouts in the first game, giving her 173 for the season which has her 6th in program history for strikeouts in a single season
• The win in game-1 gives Raley sole possession of 2nd all-time for wins in a single season (21) and was her 4th shutout of the season
• A.J. Hamilton hit her 8th home run of the season in game-2, giving her 22 for her career
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Georgia Southern softball team split a midweek doubleheader at Savannah State University Wednesday evening and freshman pitcher Dixie Raley continued to impress as she climbed higher in the school record book. The Eagles claimed the first game 1-0 with the Tigers taking game-two 9-4.
Game 1: GS 1, SSU 0
The day’s first game was a true pitcher’s duel with the two hurlers holding the other team’s offense mostly at bay. Both pitchers struck out nine batters in the game with Raley (21-10) securing her 21st win of the season, giving her sole possession of second all-time for wins in a single season by an Eagle pitcher. It was the fourth shutout of the season for Raley as she pitched seven complete innings and gave up just three hits. The nine strikeouts by the freshman moved her up into sole possession of sixth all-time for most strikeouts in a single season with 173. Amanda Hallman (12-10) was saddled with the loss in the game for the Tigers as she gave up five hits and one earned run compared to the nine strikeouts.
In the top of the second inning Lydia Witkowski singled up the middle, scoring A.J. Hamilton from second base for the lone run of the game. Witkowski and India Davis combined for four of the Eagles’ five hits. Witkowski went 2-for-3 with the one RBI while Davis went 2-for-2.
Game 2: SSU 9, GS 4
The day’s second game was a different affair as the two teams combined for 13 runs and 10 hits. It all started in the top of the second inning when the Eagles loaded the bases before Taylor Rogers was hit by a pitch, pushing Davis across the plate to give GS a 1-0 lead.
The Tigers then took a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the inning but the Eagles responded in the top of the next frame when Hamilton rocketed a two-run home run straight out to center field. The homer was the eighth of the season for the senior and the 22nd of her career, which has her sixth all-time in program history.
The next two and a half innings passed scoreless before Hannah Farrell placed a single down the right field line to score Witkowski from third, pulling the Eagles to within one run at 5-4. However, the Tigers extended the lead back out to five runs in the bottom of the inning with four unearned runs.
Both Morgan Robinson and Farrell went 2-for-4 at the plate as six different Eagles combined for eight hits.
Heather Felt (1-2) started the game for the Eagles and was the pitcher of record with Kierra Camp coming on in relief while Kasie Johnson (5-2) pitched the final 4.2 innings for SSU to secure the win. Faith Dickerson started the game for the Tigers but pitched just over two innings before Johnson came on to finish the game.
UP NEXT
Georgia Southern returns home this weekend to close out the home portion of their 2016 schedule with a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against No. 8 UL Lafayette. The Eagles and Ragin' Cajuns will play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 30 with the first game beginning at 1 p.m. The two teams will then close out the series on Sunday, May 1 with a single game at 1 p.m. Sunday's game will serve as the Eagles' Senior Day for Hamilton.
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Texas State Softball Drops Midweek to No. 18 Texas A&M, 6-3
SAN MARCOS, Texas – In front of the second-largest crowd in school history, the Texas State softball dropped the midweek contest against No. 18 Texas A&M by a score of 6-3. The ‘Cats had the lead going into the third before Texas A&M hit a grand slam in the third to pull ahead for good.
The Bobcats drop to 30-18 overall with six more games remaining on the schedule.
Texas A&M took an early 1-0 lead after a pair of singles and a stolen base by Keeli Mulligan, the nation’s steals leader. After a scoreless first, Texas State retaliated in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead.
Five runs in the top of the third which included a grand slam broke open the game for Texas A&M. The Bobcats had chances, however, but were unable to score for the remainder of the game.
The Bobcats finished the game with seven hits while Texas A&M recorded eight. Texas State stranded 12 runners on base compared to just five by TAMU. Randi Rupp was handed her 10th loss of the season as she falls to 22-10 overall.
WHO STOOD OUT:
Kimberlin Naivar / LF / Junior / Mont Belvieu, Texas
Naivar finished the night going 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs for Texas State. This is the seventh multi-hit game for Naivar this season and she has now registered 10 hits in the last eight games. This is also the fourth multi-RBI game this season for Naivar.
Bianca Prado / CF / Junior / New Braunfels, Texas
Prado went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Her hit in the second inning was her first hit since Lamar on April 13. She has three multi-hit games this season with the last one coming against Texas on March 2.
Quincy Charleston / P / Junior / Carthage, Mo.
Charleston came in relief for 4.0 scoreless innings for Texas State. She allowed just one hit in her four innings and no walks. Charleston lowers her season ERA down to 1.52.
SCORING:
Top 1st – Texas A&M registered a lead-off single through the left side before Randi Rupp struck out two batters. With two outs and the lead-off runner on second after a stolen base, the Aggies singled to center and the runner on second came around to score. (1 run, 2 runs, 0 errors, 1 left on base)
Bottom 2nd – With two outs and runners on first and second after drawing a pair of walks, Bianca Prado tied the ball game with a single up the middle. Kelli Baker then loaded the bases after reaching on a fielder’s choice where Kendall Wiley was safe at third. Kimberlin Naivar put the Bobcats up 3-1 with a single up the middle to score Baker and Wiley. (3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on base)
Top 3rd – Back-to-back singles to lead off the third cut the Texas State down to one, 3-2. With two outs and the bases loaded (another single and a walk), Texas A&M hit a grand slam to take a 6-3 lead. (5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base)
NOTES:
Texas State had its third sellout in school history with an attendance of 1,154. This figure is second-largest in school history only to the stadium opener in February of 2009. The Bobcats had 1,011 people in the stands against Texas earlier this year which stood as the second-largest crowd until tonight.
Charleston has not allowed an earned run for 15.1 straight innings after tonight. She leads the team with a 1.52 ERA.
NEXT UP:
Texas State will hit the road to Appalachian State for its final road trip of the regular season this weekend. First pitch against the Mountaineers is slated for 12:00 p.m. CT Saturday afternoon.
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Big Innings from Southern Miss Down ULM 10-2
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The ULM softball team fell victim to four-run and five-run innings during a 10-2 loss to Southern Miss Wednesday night inside USM Softball Complex.
The Warhawks (22-27) went down 1-0 in the first inning after Golden Eagles (24-24) leadoff hitter Lauren Holifield lifted a solo homer to left center on the very first pitch she saw from junior Melanie Coyne (16-18).
Senior Amye Barre gave ULM’s offense a boost in the second when she hit her second solo homer in as many games to tie the game at one.
The first scoring barrage from USM came in the form of a four-run third where the Golden Eagles scored via a sacrifice fly, an RBI single and a two-run homer.
After Coyne belted a solo homer to left in the fourth to cut into the deficit at 5-2, USM ended the game in the fifth by scoring five runs on four hits. Three of the five runs were scored on a walk and two HBPs.
Other than Barre and Coyne’s homers, the other Warhawks with hits were senior Faith Bohack, junior Vanessa Garcia and freshman Megan Shaw. Shaw’s hit was a two-out double down the left-field line in the fourth while the other two recorded singles.
ULM had three of five leadoff hitters reach base but had trouble stringing together hits. The Warhawks hit .143 (1-7) with runners on base.
Sophomore Samantha Robles (15-8) earned the win for the Golden Eagles after allowing five hits and two earned runs through the shortened five-inning outing. Holifield ended the game 4-4 with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs.
ULM returns to the field this weekend in its final home conference series versus Georgia State. The first two games will feature a 1 p.m. CST doubleheader Saturday concluded by a noon finale Sunday.