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Top-seeded GSU awaits opponent
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    Georgia Southern's softball team is back in action in Boone, N.C., today for the 2012 Southern Conference Tournament.
    The Eagles open postseason play with a 5 p.m. game against the winner of today’s 10 a.m. game between Furman and Samford at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium on the campus of Appalachian State University. All games can be seen live on SoConTV at SoConSports.com. Saturday’s championship game can be seen live on ESPN3.com.
    GSU recorded its best season in the program's history in terms of wins, posting a 38-17 overall mark and a 22-2 league record to claim its first SoCon regular-season championship since 1996. GSU looks to add to its SoCon Tournament titles won in 1999 and 2006 this week in the first SoCon Tournament to be held in Boone, N.C.
    On Monday, GSU's Sarah Purvis was honored as the league’s top pitcher when the SoCon coaches named her SoCon Pitcher of the Year. Purvis set a school record with 20 victories and nine losses. She ranks 32nd nationally with a 1.52 earned-run average and 30th with 221 strikeouts this year.
    GSU senior Marie Fogle joined Purvis on the All-SoCon First Team, leading the Eagles' offense. Fogle hit .408 and leads GSU in home runs with nine. She has 27 career home runs and her homer in Game 2 turned the momentum, tying the game at 2. GSU went on to win the contest, 4-2, with a three-run sixth inning.
    GSU's Hanna Ennis picked up All-SoCon Second Team honors, hitting .257 for the Eagles from the second slot in the batting order. Freshman Brooke Red earned a slot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team with a 10-1 overall record in her first season in Statesboro.
    GSU's Allie Miles, the SoCon Preseason Pitcher of the Year, has pitched well in the second half of the season, winning each of her last four outings. Three of those victories have come via shutout. Over her last seven starts, Miles has allowed five total runs.
    In the final weekend of the season, GSU's Andrea Tarashuk hit .455 with four doubles against Furman. GSU's starting third baseman has been a force at the hot corner, fielding at a .971 clip, just off the Eagles’ team mark of .972 for the season. As a unit, GSU is the league’s top fielding team, making just 44 errors this season (0.80 errors per game).
    GSU head coach Annie Smith was named SoCon Coach of the Year, taking the Eagles to the SoCon regular-season Championship, ending a run of five-straight regular season titles for Chattanooga. The Mocs are the No. 2 see in the tournament.
    All of the action will be available live through SoConTV. Fans unable to attend will have an opportunity to view all of the games by logging on to SoConSports.com and subscribing to SoConTV. The championship game, which is slated for 1:30 p.m. Saturday, will be broadcast on ESPN3.com.