The Statesboro Girls Track Team is in third place after day one of the Region 3-AAAA Championships at the Georgia Southern University Track and Field Complex.
Statesboro’s Lywanna Melvin qualified for the state meet in the discus throw with a distance of 109’4”, good enough for second place. She placed fourth in shot put with a throw of 31-3.
Nora Billups placed third in the triple jump with a leap of 32-2.
In the 1600 meter final, Morgan VanGorder placed third with a time of 5:35 (school record). Kate Brunson placed fifth with a time of 5:43.
The following athletes qualified for the finals on Monday: 4 x 100 Relay - Kenyatta Fagan, NoraA Billups, Queta Davis, Trensherra Rogers, 400 Meter Dash - Queta Davis, 3200 Meter Run - Morgan VanGorder, Kate Brunson, 100 Meter Dash - Kenyatta Fagan, 100 Hurdles - Trensherra Rogers, 800 Meter Run - Nora Billups, 300 Hurdles - Trensherra Rogers, 4 x 400 Relay - Team 1: Morgan VanGorder, Nora Billups, Trensherra Rogers, Queta Davis, Team 2: Donisha Willis, Charneshia Walden, Claire Alston, Kate Brunson.
The region finals will begin at 5 pm. Admission is $5.
Eagle softball tosses one-hitter
Georgia Southern senior Logan Free threw a one-hit shutout to lead the Eagles to a 1-0 Southern Conference softball victory over UNC Greensboro Sunday at Eagle Field.
GSU (22-26, 7-7 SoCon) avoids a sweep after losing twice to UNCG (25-31,
5-10 SoCon) on Saturday. The teams combined for just four runs total in three games.
“I thought we came out today and played well,” said GSU head coach Natalie Poole. “It was important to come out and get a win from them and we felt like we were capable of (that).”
Free (8-11) walked three and struck out seven. She allowed just runner past second base and retired the last 10 batters she faced.
“I thought that Logan did a great job today,” Poole added. “She came out strong and might have performed better than yesterday. She gave us an opportunity to win.”
Free was on the losing end of a 2-0 decision Saturday when she allowed
three hits and one earned run.
UNCG starter Vanessa Oakes (10-10), who threw a five-hit shutout
Saturday, fanned 11, walked none and gave up five hits and the one run.
Georgia Southern got the only run it needed in the second. Freshman Jenny Side doubled to lead off the inning and went to third on a sacrifice. Senior Katie Smith followed with a single to plate Side.
“We did enough to manufacture the run we needed, so I’m proud of that,”
Poole said. “It was a little better at the plate, although we had quite a few strikeouts. But some of them made better adjustments which made a difference.”
Senior Heather Smith extended her seven-game hitting streak with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
The Eagles return to action next weekend when they travel to Western Carolina for a three-game set starting Saturday.
Eagle golf tied for third after first round of SoCon tourney
FLORENCE, S.C. – Georgia Southern golf completed the first of threerounds of the Southern Conference tournament tied for third place, just
three strokes behind the lead at the par-72, 7,062-yard Country Club of
South Carolina.
The Eagles, seeking to defend their 2006 title, shot an 8-over 296 on
the day and share the lead with Western Carolina. Leading the 10-team
field is No. 38 Chattanooga with a 5-over 293, followed by Wofford at
7-over 295.
Sophomores Jordan Johnstun (Evans, Ga.) and Ryan LeFevre (Boca Raton,
Fla.) pace the Georgia Southern squad, sharing 11th place carding a
first round score of 1-over 73.
Leading the pack is Wofford’s Garrett Medeiros who shot a 4-under 68.
Five others have scores under par.
“We played well on the first nine, but slipped a bit on the back nine,”
said head coach Larry Mays. “But we’re right in there, just three
strokes back. We have to go out and take care of business tomorrow.”
