LITUMBE HOMERS PANTHERS PAST SKYHAWKS
What you need to know:
* Georgia State defeated UT Martin 6-5 Tuesday night in the NISC Region 5 bracket.
* Megan Litumbe hit home runs 19 and 20 and tallied four RBI.
* The Panthers will face Kennesaw State at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
ATLANTA - Making its first postseason appearance since 2011, Georgia State won their opening game as hosts of the NISC Region 5 bracket. Megan Litumbe homered twice as the Panthers defeated UT Martin 6-5 Tuesday night at the Bob Heck Softball Complex.
Litumbe became the first GSU player in school history to have multiple 20-home run seasons, reaching the 20 mark with her second blast on Tuesday. Her first homer of the day was the 50th of her career and made it all the way to the roof of the hitting facility beyond the left field wall.The GSU single-season record for home runs is 22.
The Panthers were up 2-0 after Litumbe's two-run homer in the first, but UT Martin took a 3-2 lead in the top of the third with a home run of their own.
Remington Hasty put the Panthers back in front in the bottom of the third on a two-RBI single into left field. Kirsten McMonigle and Ivie Drake both scored on the play.
Litumbe's second dinger of the day, also a two-run shot, broke a 4-4 tie and made it 6-4 in favor of GSU.
The Skyhawks made things interesting with a solo home run in the top of the seventh, but Mandy Chance got a groundout to end the game, pushing GSU into the semifinals against Kennesaw State.
Chance earned the win with three innings of work, allowing just one hit.
McMonigle, Drake and Litumbe each scored two runs on the day. Litumbe finished 2-for-3 with four RBI and Hasty had the other two runs batted in. Reagan Morgan and McMonigle each walked twice.
The Panthers and Owls will play at 4 p.m. Wednesday in what will be the third meeting between the two teams this season. The home team won each regular season contest. A win for GSU means a berth into the championship game on Thursday.
Follow along with Georgia State on Twitter (@GSU_Softball) for the latest news.
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Warhawks Unable to Overcome Big Inning Tuesday
Beaumont, Texas – The ULM softball team could not overcome a big inning from regional host Lamar on Tuesday night as the Warhawks fell 7-5 in the opening round game of the National Invitational Softball Championship. The Warhawks now fall into the loser's bracket, where they will face familiar foe UT Arlington at noon on Wednesday in a win-or-go home matchup.
TURNING POINT
-After a 2-0 start for ULM through two innings, Lamar battled back with two runs in the fourth inning on an RBI triple and Warhawk error to tie the game before taking the lead with five runs in the sixth inning to grab control of the game.
NOTABLES
-The Warhawks outhit Lamar 11-9 overall, highlighted by a trio of two-hit games from Jayden Mount, Sami Billeaudeau (RBI) and Samantha Agamaite. Hunter Hogan, Cheyanne Lyon and Sydney McKay each added an RBI as well.
-Melanie Coyne got the start for the Warhawks in the circle and went 5 2/3 innings in the loss, giving up just two earned runs and striking out five in the start.
-Paige Murray came on in relief to pitch the final 1 1/3 innings giving up two hits and one unearned run while striking out one.
-ULM took the lead in the bottom of the first when Hogan reached on an error and later scored before the Warhawks added to the advantage in the second when Coyne opened the inning by reaching on an error and was brought home on Agamaite's RBI single.
-After Lamar tied the game in the fourth inning, the Cardinals took the lead in the sixth with five runs on three hits – keyed by a two-run double – and a pair of ULM errors.
-After the Lamar five-run sixth inning, the Warhawks cut into the deficit with one run in the bottom of the sixth that was started with a double to left center by Coyne, who scored on Billeadeau's RBI single. ULM added two runs in the seventh inning, started with a single to left field by Mount. An RBI double to left center by Hogan plated Mount before Cheyanne Lyon's fielder's choice groundball brought home Hogan, but the Warhawks would get no closer.
UP NEXT
-The Warhawks now face Sun Belt Conference foe UTA on Wednesday afternoon at noon. The two teams met in Arlington earlier this year in SBC play, with the Mavericks taking two of three games in the series.
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SB: ACU Comes Back To Top Mavs In NISC Opener
BEAUMONT, Texas - Abilene Christian used a two-out home run in the seventh, and a two-run ninth to top UTA 5-4 in the National Invitational Softball Championship Beaumont Regional first round.
The Mavericks (32-27), falling for the first time after a 22-0 record when leading after the sixth, attempted a comeback in the bottom of the ninth as senior Mallory Foster sent the first pitch of the inning over the centerfield wall. However, ACU would shut the door in recording three consecutive outs as it improved to 33-20.
The Mavs pushed five hits across the board as it was opportunistic in picking up a 3-2 advantage. Two consecutive walks that were compiled by an error and a ground out answered two ACU runs in the second to tie the game at two apiece.
A well-practiced bunt game came to life to make it a one-run advantage for the Mavs in the fourth. Foster reached on a four-pitch walk and Kayci Moore, who came in to pinch run, scored on back-to-back bunts that included a suicide-squeeze by Kacey Everett.
UTA appeared to double up the lead, however, after an umpire had ruled a play was a catch in the infield, Krista Rude was not ruled to have scored as the home plate umpire ruled the play dead.
ACU took advantage in the seventh with the home run, and then used a UTA error to take the lead on a two-out triple to the wall. They'd follow it up with a hit through the infield, a crucial insurance run to counter the home run in the bottom half.
Sam Montes picked up the loss despite a strong outing in seven innings pitched. Montes went to 4-5, striking out two after being charged with three runs - two earned. Sam Clakley pitched the opening two innings, striking out one and giving up two runs, neither earned.
The Mavericks will face elimination from the NISC on Wednesday, taking on ULM (who lost to Lamar on Tuesday) at 12 p.m. The meeting will be the 101st between the two programs. UTA fell to 2-3 all-time in postseason play as it made its first appearance since 2003.