Georgia State Completes Weekend Series Sweep With 10-1 Victory Over Blue Hens
April 17, 2011
Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell
• Boxscore
ATLANTA, Ga. -- Georgia State seven runs during the bottom of the first inning en route to a 10-1 victory in five innings over Delaware on Sunday at Bob Heck Field as the Panthers completed a three-game weekend sweep of the Blue Hens.
Georgia State, which improved to 27-17 overall this season, remained in a tie for first place in the Colonial Athletic Association standings with an 11-1 mark. Delaware fell to 14-28 overall and 4-8 in league play after getting swept in a conference series for the second time this year.
Blue Hen sophomore centerfielder Lara Andrews (at right) got Delaware off to a good start with a two-out solo home run to leftfield in the top of the first, her second round-tripper of the season.
However Georgia State quickly took control with a big rally during the bottom of the frame. Jessica Clifton opened the inning with a leadoff double down the leftfield line, and she came around to score when Brenna Morrissey reached on a throwing error by Blue Hen third baseman Michelle Grap.
Delaware starting pitcher Hannah Rust then retired Lauren Jones on a flyout to right, but after Paige Nowacki singled, Audrey Mason delivered an RBI single to right to put the Panthers in front for good. Tiffany Bess then followed with a two-run double to centerfield, making it a 4-1 game, and after Maddy Stanton walked, Amanda Stacevicz replaced Rust in the circle for the Blue Hens.
However Whitney Phillips greeted Stacevicz with a single into left to load the bases, and Megan Kallatsa followed with an RBI single to chase home Bess. Stacevicz then retired Clifton on a foul out to first, but Morrissey worked a bases loaded walk and Jones followed with an infield single to drive home another run and give the Panthers a six-run cushion.
Mason opened the bottom of the second with a home run to leftcenter, her second longball of the weekend, to increase the Georgia State margin to 8-1.
Delaware attempted to get back in the contest during the top of the third when Jenny Richards and Michelle McKinnon each legged out infield singles with two down, but Georgia State starter Kaitlyn Medlam got Andrews to line out to shortstop to escape the jam.
The Panthers put the finishing touches on their victory during the bottom of the fourth when Nowacki led off with a single to right and Bess drilled a one-out homer down the leftfield line.
Kathleen Conway and Bertie Lake each singled during the Blue Hens’ top of the fifth, but GSU reliever Erin Collins retired the next two batters to end the game.
Medlam, who gave up one run on three hits with four strikeouts while not walking a batter, improved to 9-1 on the season for Georgia State. Rust dropped to 0-7 after allowing six runs, four earned, on four hits in a third of an inning, while Stacevicz was charged with four runs, three earned, on eight hits in 3.2 frames of relief.
Delaware will look to get back on track in conference play on Friday when the Blue Hens host UNC Wilmington in a 2:30 p.m. doubleheader at the Delaware Softball Stadium.
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