PANTHERVILLE, Ga. ? Georgia State scored in each of its final two at-bats to record a come-from-behind victory in the opener and junior Lily Skelton and sophomore Catherine Lee both went 1-for-2 with two RBI in the nightcap as the Panthers swept UNCW, 2-1 and 5-4, in a Colonial Athletic Association softball doubleheader Friday at Bob Heck Field.
The Panthers improved to 28-18 overall and 14-5 in CAA action while the Seahawks moved to 13-31 on the season and 8-12 in league play. The two teams conclude their three-game series Saturday with a Noon contest.
With the score tied at 1-all in the bottom of the seventh of game one, junior Danielle Roddy opened the inning with a single to third base before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Holly Willis and a groundout by Lee. Junior Rachel Cunningham followed Lee at the plate and hit a groundball that was misplayed by the Seahawks defense, allowing Roddy to score from third for the decisive run.
Earlier in the game, junior Morgan Walters staked UNCW to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third as she hit the first offering she saw from Georgia State starter Madi Gore over the left-field fence for her second homerun of the season.
The Panthers pulled even in the bottom of the sixth as Tiffany Bess hit a two-out single to right field that brought home senior Natasha Berry, who reached base earlier in the frame on a fielder's choice.
Gore improved to 12-9 on the season as she allowed one run on four hits in seven innings. She walked one and struck out four. Roddy and Skelton both went 2-for-3 to lead the Georgia State lineup while Lee was 2-for-4.
Freshman Amanda Davenport took the loss for the Seahawks in game one to fall to 6-13 on the season. In seven innings of work, Davenport allowed two runs (one earned) on eight hits and two walks. Four UNCW players combined to record the Seahawks four hits as Walters and junior Michelle Harrison posted extra-base knocks with a homerun and double, respectively.
Georgia State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first in game two as Lee brought home the first two runs of the frame on a double to center field while a sacrifice fly by Berry plated the final run of the frame.
UNCW cut into the Panthers deficit, using RBI doubles from senior Carley Hughes and Harrison to make it a 3-2 contest. Junior Lily Skelton returned the Georgia State cushion to three in the bottom half of the inning, hitting a two-run homerun to center field to give the Panthers a 5-2 lead.
Harrison pulled the Seahawks within two, 5-3, in the top of the fifth on a two-out single to right field before hitting a one-out double in the top of the seventh to plate sophomore Rachel Sawyer and make it a 5-4 contest. UNCW was unable to bring home the tying run though, as Panthers freshman starter Alana Thomas retired the next two batters to end the contest.
Thomas allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits and one walk as she improved to 12-6 on the campaign. Senior Holly Willis went 2-for-4 to pace the Panther attack while Lee and Skelton drove in two runs apiece.
Sophomore Amanda Aditays took the loss for UNCW in the nightcap to fall to 5-11 on the season. In three innings, Aditays surrendered five runs on five hits and two walks. Freshman Jennifer Ladd replaced Aditays and pitched the final three innings, allowing just two batters to reach base on a hit and a walk while striking out two. Harrison was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI for the Seahawks while Hughes and freshman Ashley Shingleton were both 2. -for-4 at the plate. Hughes' RBI double moved her into second place on the school's career RBI list with 141.
