After falling to St. John's in extra innings, the Georgia Southern softball team split day two of the 2013 Eagle Round Robin.
Georgia Southern (2-1) was in position to improve to 3-0 on the young season after a 6-4 win over Akron (1-1) but was unable to put away St. John's (1-2) in game two. The Red Storm scored in the seventh inning to force extra frames and again in the 10th inning to win 4-3.
The Eagles' Shelby Morrill combined for four hits in seven at-bats over the two games and scored three runs on the day. Junior shortstop Kourtney Thomas added three hits, four RBI and two runs scored in the first game of the day, while freshman A.J. Hamilton went two-for-four with two RBI in game two.
GSU 6, Akron 4
Thomas launched a three-run homer in the second inning and added a RBI double in the seventh to help propel Georgia Southern, playing as the visiting team, past Akron in the first game of the day.
Junior Sarah Purvis (W, 2-0) picked up her second win and struck out six batters in her second start of the year. Purvis faced just two over the minimum through the first three frames before allowing a two-run home run in the fourth inning. Purvis allowed five hits and two earned runs over five frames. Brooke Red tossed the final two innings and allowed one hit and an unearned run for her first save of the year.
Allisa Birkhimer (L, 0-1) tossed a complete game but was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs — four earned — on 9 hits. Birkhimer also struck out six batters while walking two.
After the Eagles jumped ahead 3-0 on Thomas' home run, they added two unearned runs in the fourth inning to take a 5-0 lead. Lexi Allen, who finished game one two-for-four, plated both runs with a two-out double.
The Zips charged back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs on a Rachael Ratcliffe home run and adding single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Morrill singled with two-outs in the top of the seventh inning before Thomas doubled down the left field line to give the Eagles a two-run cushion headed into the bottom of the seventh.
Red coaxed three-straight ground balls, which were all scooped up by third baseman Andrea Tarashuk to record the final three outs.
St. John's 4, GSU 3
A seventh inning error and three-straight hits, including a RBI single by Chrissy Montez in the 10th inning, rallied St. John's past Georgia Southern in game two.
The Eagles led 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh on Hamilton's first career hit, a two-run home run, but an error by the pitcher Marla Thompson on a fielded ground ball led to a game-tying RBI single by Erin Burner.
Thompson (L, 0-1) took the loss after allowing two runs – one earned – on four hits. She tossed 3.1 innings in relief of starter Allie Miles, who pitched 6.2 innings of two-run ball. Miles also struck out eight batters while allowing 9 hits.
Ashley Beza (W, 1-1) picked up the win in relief of Aleshia Link, who allowed one unearned run over 2.1 innings. Beza struck out six and allowed two runs on five hits over 7.2 frames.
Morrill led GSU in game two with three hits in five at-bats, while Hamilton finished with two hits and two RBIs. Kaitlyn Johnson added a pair of singles, and Tabby Douberley and Lindsey Wilcox both drove in runs.
The Red Storm jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after a lead-off single by Yvonne Rericha scored on a sacrifice fly by Jackie Reed. The Eagles countered with a run of their own in the bottom frame, scoring Alexa Lewis with a ground out to first base.
St. John's took a 2-1 lead before Hamilton's homer with three-straight two-out hits plating a run in Reed.
Georgia Southern concludes the 2013 Eagle Round Robin against Tennessee Tech tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. Prior to the Eagles taking the field, Akron will face Tennessee Tech at 9:30 a.m. and St. John's at 11:30 a.m.
