GSU men clinch Sun Belt regular season title, top Southern

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Georgia State basketball team was missing an important contributor when Ryan Harrow went out with an injury midway through the first half. But GSU still had R.J. Hunter, and as a result, the Panthers are still the regular season kings of the Sun Belt Conference.

Hunter scored 23 of his 35 points in the second half and was a perfect, 16-of-16 from the free-throw line for the game as GSU repeated as regular season conference champions with a 72-55 victory over Georgia Southern at a raucous GSU Sports Arena on Saturday afternoon.

GSU (22-9, 15-5) already had a bye to the semifinals of the league tournament wrapped up before the day began, but now the Atlanta school will be the top seed during the league tournament in New Orleans hoping to get to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2000-2001 season.

The regular season crown also guaranteed GSU a spot in the National Invitation Tournament should it suffer a defeat in New Orleans.

Georgia Southern (21-8, 14-6), which will be the No. 2 seed and also not play until Saturday’s semifinals, never led, though the Statesboro school pulled to within 38-34 on consecutive 3-pointers by Jelani Hewitt and Curtis Diamond 4 1/2 minutes into the second half.

The Eagles wouldn’t get any closer and Hunter was the main reason why.

The junior hit a jumper, then two free throws and buried a pair of threes, the last of which put the Panthers up 48-34 at the 12:22 mark. It was down to a 10-point cushion at 54-44 when Hewitt (team-high 17 points) knocked down a pair of charity shots, but Isaiah Dennis had a beautiful, reverse lay-up turn into a three-point play and it was a 57-44 game at the 8:19 mark and GSU’s lead never fell below 12 points the rest of the day.

One of the reasons Dennis (five points on 2-of-3 shooting) and Rockdale High School graduate Kevin Ware (three points and two assists) played a bit more than usual was due to Harrow’s injury.

The senior guard went down with what appeared to be a left hamstring injury with 7:53 to go in the first half and only returned for a brief moment later in the period. GSU coach Ron Hunter did not know the severity of Harrow’s injury postgame, though he did say he expected the Marietta native back at practice Sunday morning.

“Don’t know what the injury is (but) we expect him to be back,” Hunter said of Harrow, who was averaging a Sun Belt-best 20.8 points coming into the day.

“That’s my scoring partner, and when he’s down you just have to do a little more,” said R.J. Hunter, who was two points short of a season-high 37 points he scored against Troy on January 10.

Hunter took a bit to get going and he missed all four of his first-half three-point attempts, though his 6-for-6 effort at the line helped him go into halftime with 12 points and GSU up 32-21.

The Indianapolis native, who came to Atlanta with his father four years ago, knocked down a jumper nine seconds into the second half, a sign of things to come for the eventual two-time Sun Belt champions. Hunter checked out with 37 seconds to play to a thunderous ovation from a jubilant, sell-out crowd.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Ron Hunter. “Four years ago, as a family when we decided to make this journey, I had so many people tell me this was a bad move, a bad decision. First thing (R.J.) said (when he came out of the game) was ‘dad, we proved them wrong.’”

Curtis Washington, who along with Harrow and Ryann Green were honored on Senior Night, was a big contributor, adding 12 points on 6-of-11 shooting and grabbing three of GSU’s 14 offensive rebounds.

The Sun Belt Tournament, which is played at Lakefront Arena, opens Thursday with first-round play. With the victory, Green, a former walk-on, won his 84th game as a player, setting the school’s all-time four-year record.

“I came into this program, coach Hunter didn’t know who I was,” said an emotional Green. “All yesterday and all this morning, I thought ‘(Georgia State) gave me that chance’. It’s been a journey to say the least.”

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Texas State upends GSU in double-OT thriller

ATLANTA, Ga. - Emani Gant was fairly quiet through regulation, but once a pair of overtime sessions began, Texas State’s leading scorer came alive.

Gant hit a tying 3-pointer at the first overtime buzzer, then had two key baskets in the second extra session in the Bobcats’ 77-74 over Georgia State Monday at the GSU Sports Arena.

The stunning loss was GSU’s first setback at the Sports Arena in nearly two years, since Northeastern also won in overtime in the Panthers’ final game as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association in February, 2013.

Early in the first overtime, Gant hit a bucket and went 1-of-2 from the free-throw line, then Ethan Montalvo hit a 3-pointer in the corner to pull the teams even at 64-64. Cameron Naylor hit what throughout the night was a patented 10-foot, baseline jumper for the last of his team-high 18 points and the Bobcats led 66-64 with 1:23 to play. Texas State had the ball again a half-minute later, but turned it over, which preceded Ryan Harrow’s floater in the lane that turned into a three-point play and a 67-66 lead.

Rockdale graduate Kevin Ware contested Kavin Gilder-Tilbury’s three-point attempt at the other end and Ryann Green’s two free throws put the Atlanta school up by three with 10 seconds to play.

GSU defended well on the final possession of regulation, guarding perimeter threats Montalvo and D.J. Brown, but Gant, a junior who hadn’t even attempted a 3-pointer in 41 games over two seasons with Texas State, banked in a three from the top of the key to force a second overtime.

The Bobcats didn’t trail after that. R.J. Hunter had a lay-up in transition at the 2:50 mark that got Georgia State (9-5, 2-1 Sun Belt Conference) even at 71-71. But Gant followed with a pair of fadeaway jumpers along the baseline and it was a 75-72 advantage with 1:50 left.

Hunter, 15th nationally in scoring coming in, struggled throughout the night, missing 13 of his 16 field goal attempts, including all 10 of his three-point tries. Two of those long-range misses came in the second overtime, one of which could’ve tied the game with 1:32 to play and the other could’ve gotten the Panthers to within one point with nine seconds to go.

“(Hunter is) in a really bad slump right now and it’s affecting him mentally,” said GSU coach and R.J.’s father, Ron Hunter. “He’s just in one of those slumps that every player has to figure it out. He’s just mentally frustrated a little bit.”

GSU forced the initial extra session, thanks to Ryan Harrow (game-high 29 points), who went behind the back with his dribble and converted a tough lay up with six seconds left to tie the game at 57-57.

“Ryan Harrow really tried to carry us,” said Ron Hunter.

Over the final four minutes of regulation, Texas State (8-4, 2-1) had chipped away at a six-point deficit when Montalvo picked up two of his six assists on a lay-in from Naylor and Brown’s 3-pointer. And after T.J. Shipes’ baseline dunk and a Markus Crider put back had put GSU back up by four, the Bobcats erased that deficit as well when Montalvo and Brown hit consecutive threes, the last of which put the San Marcos school up 57-55 with 16 seconds to play.

It was an ugly start to the game as neither offense could get anything going through the first 12 1/2 minutes, though after five unanswered points - four of which came from Naylor - Texas State led 10-9 at the 7:40 mark.

GSU had missed six of its first seven shots, but Ware got the Panthers going a bit with a lay-up in transition to put them up for the remainder of the half at 11-10. Later, Ware picked up one of his career-high five steals and fed Crider for a jumper and the Conyers native added a nice, pull-up jumper for a 19-15 cushion at the 3:39 mark.

The teams combined for 20 first-half turnovers and GSU held its guest to just 7-of-22 shooting through the first 20 minutes.

There were 10 lead changes through the first 15 minutes of the second half, with GSU going up 44-43 on Ware’s lay-up at the 5:04 mark. That was the last of a 14-point night for Ware, a redshirt-junior transfer from Louisville, who was coming off a career-high 21 points last Saturday in a win over Arkansas-Little Rock.

“Kevin did a nice job. I think he’s getting comfortable in what he’s doing now,” Ron Hunter said.

The Panthers eventually capped a 7-0 run when Hunter grabbed an offensive rebound and fed Harrow for a three; then Hunter had a steal and lay-up to make it a 49-43 game with about four minutes to play.

Gant added 17 points and Brown, 13 for Texas State. Hunter finished with 10 points, while Crider (nine points) was the only other significant offensive contributor for the Panthers.

“I think we got a major league wake up call,” Hunter said. “I didn’t think we played well at all (and) Texas State did a good job. Our whole team has to play better.”

GSU has a great chance to get better, and exact a bit of revenge when it visits Louisiana-Lafayette on Thursday. The Ragin’ Cajuns upset the top-seeded Panthers in the championship game of the Sun Belt Tournament last March to earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Said Hunter: “The week doesn’t get any easier for us.”

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Ware celebrates birthday in style, leads GSU past Little Rock

ATLANTA, Ga. - It was a very happy birthday for Kevin Ware.

The redshirt-junior scored a career-high 21 points on his 22nd birthday, leading Georgia State to an 82-69 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock Saturday afternoon at the GSU Sports Arena.

Ware, in his first season at the Atlanta school after transferring from Louisville, had perhaps his finest game as a collegiate, and his day began a little sooner than expected.

Starting guard Ryann Green exited a little over a minute into the game when he took an accidental elbow to the mouth and had a tooth displaced. The senior from College Park never returned to the court, but the Panthers (9-4, 2-0 Sun Belt Conference) didn’t miss a beat, thanks to Ware.

The Rockdale High School graduate set or equaled career-bests in several categories, including eight made field goals (in 14 attempts), and a career-high-tying five assists.

“(Ware’s) confidence was really, really high today,” said GSU coach Ron Hunter. “Couldn’t be happier for him.”

“I know I just had to step up,” said Ware, who has his first double-digit scoring game since his previous career-best of 15 points November 26 against Oakland. “I don’t have a lot of celebrating to do, just want wins right now.”

Ryan Harrow led all scorers with 22 points as the Panthers extended their home winning streak to 18 games and defeated Arkansas-Little Rock (5-7, 0-2) for the fourth consecutive time.

GSU’s defense also had a lot to do with that streak continuing. The visiting Trojans went eight minutes without a field goal in the second half, which turned a one-point GSU lead at the 10:39 mark into a 74-55 cushion on R.J. Hunter’s dunk with 2:50 to play. The Panthers had 13 steals with a trio of players, including Ware, grabbing three each.

“As long as we were getting it done defensively, we were fine,” Ware said. “It all starts with our defense.”

“This is a veteran group (and) our defense is going to be pretty good,” said Ron Hunter.

It was an extremely-tight start to the second half, and Arkansas-Little Rock led 48-47 on Ben Dillard’s 3-pointer with 13 minutes left. Harrow answered with a floater in the lane, then Ware assisted on Jalen Brown’s three and GSU held a 52-48 advantage. J.T. Thomas knocked down a 3-pointer to get the Trojans to within 52-51, but they wouldn’t get any closer.

Harrow banked in a runner, then was fouled driving for another basket, and on the play, Arkansas-Little Rock’s Josh Hagins was hit with a technical foul. Hunter and Harrow combined to go 5-of-6 from the free-throw line to put the Panthers up 59-51 with eight minutes to play.

Ware capped his great day with a put back of his own miss and his only 3-pointer of the day (on his only attempt), which preceded Hunter’s dunk on a fast break.

“The last couple weeks (the feeling was) ‘Kevin is going to have one of these coming-out games,’” said Ron Hunter. “If he keeps playing this way I’ll buy him cake.”

Arkansas-Little Rock hit seven of its first 11 shots and went up by as much as five points in the opening half, grabbing a 17-12 cushion on a Dillard 3-pointer at the 12:44 mark. GSU erased that deficit, thanks to Ware, who hit a baseline jumper and Harrow, who took a pass from Hunter and knocked down a three to tie things up at 17-17.

The hosts were up seven in the first after Harrow scored seven quick points, two of which were lay-ins off steals and another when Ware picked up one of his four first-half assists. Then Harrow drained a 3-pointer on an inbounds play and the Panthers took their largest first half lead at 34-27 with 3:13 left.

GSU led 37-32 at the break despite leading scorer Hunter behind held to three points, though the junior finished the day with 14 to pass Devonta White for third on the school’s career scoring list with 1,394 points.

Dillard and James Reid led the visiting Trojans with 14 points each.

GSU hangs on against Umass in holiday tourney

ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia State had just enough to hold off Massachusetts Friday.

Makeba Ponder and Kayla Nolan scored 17 points each as the Panthers won 71-66 in the Hoops and Holiday Classic at the GSU Sports Arena.

Massachusetts (5-5) secured its first and only lead of the night when freshman Cierra Dillard (15 points) drained a 3-pointer with three minutes to play in the game. Ponder hit the last of her five 3-pointers 14 seconds later and GSU (5-3) went back up for good at 64-62. The Panthers stretched the lead out to 67-62 when Haley Gerrin had a pair of offensive rebounds that led to Gerrin’s free throw and a Logan jumper.

Rashida Timbilla hit a field goal and had a steal and put back and was fouled with 27 seconds to play, though she missed the free throw and it was still a one-point GSU lead. Massachusetts rebounded the free throw miss, but Ciara Rosten traveled to turn the ball back over to GSU. Ponder hit two free throws for a 69-66 lead, then Nolan stole a pass and hit two more at the line to help the Panthers hang on.

“I was really proud of our basketball team to be able to win a tight game and make some plays down the stretch,” said State coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener. “We came together. (Massachusetts) took the lead and we settled down.”

Brittany Logan had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds for GSU, which won its second consecutive game after suffering through a three-game losing streak. Kim Pierre-Louis led the Minutewomen with 17 points, though none came after the 6:44 mark of the second half.

In the opening half, State led by as many as 11 points at 35-24 on a pair of free throws by Ashley Watson with 3:21 to play.

The Panthers went the final 3:50 without a field goal, though despite the late drought hit 5-of-11 from three-point range - Ponder had a pair and three others knocked down a trifecta - during the first 20 minutes. GSU ended the night hitting half of its 18 attempts from behind the arc.

“We’ve been in the gym shooting a lot,” said Baldwin-Tener.

Emily Mital had an excellent shooting half off the bench and she hit the last of her four 3-pointers at the buzzer, helping Massachusetts close on a 7-2 run and trail just 35-31 at the break. Mital, a senior guard, was held to just two second-half points.

It was an extremely tight second half as GSU’s lead never grew above five points and the teams were tied at 59-59 - the first tie since 2-2 - when Dillard hit a three at the 3:58 mark.

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GSU handles Western Carolina

When Georgia State’s basketball team is going well, R.J. Hunter and Ryan Harrow are usually at the forefront, as was the case on Tuesday.

Hunter scored 27 points and Harrow added 21 as the Panthers defeated Western Carolina 85-70 Tuesday in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic.

It was a back-and-forth second half and the game was tied until Kevin Ware, a Rockdale High School graduate, hit a pair of free throws to put GSU ahead 66-64 with 5:48 left in the second half. The Panthers led for the remainder of the day as Hunter converted a pair of lay ups and Harrow added one of his own and the Atlanta school led 72-64 with 4:16 to play. Ware, who finished the game with three steals, checked back into the game at the 14:31 mark and GSU’s defense held Western Carolina to just five made field goals over the final 14 1/2 minutes.

“I thought when we re-entered Kevin Ware back in the game our defense settled down and we were able to get stops,” said GSU coach Ron Hunter. “When we do that we’re really, really good. It was a good test, (Western Carolina) gave Alabama all they can handle, Mississippi State all they can handle. It was one of those tough, gutted-out games and I really like how we finished this game. I’m really really happy about this win.”

Hunter, who moved into the eighth place on the school’s career scoring list, hit a jumper with three seconds to play in the first half that sent Georgia State into the locker room up 39-35. That capped an opening 20 minutes where GSU led by as many as 23-16 on a 3-pointer by Ryann Green with 9:11 to play, though Western Carolina responded with a 9-0 run and led 25-23 after Mike Brown’s four-point play at the 6:34 mark.

Torrion Brummit’s lay up gave the Catamounts a 27-25 advantage with about five minutes left in the first, but GSU led the rest of the half after Harrow knocked down a three about a half-minute later.

Rhett Harrelson had 21 points and Brummitt added 15 for Western Carolina.

Starting forward Markus Crider scored 15 points and reserve post player T.J. Shipes added eight points and eight rebounds for the Panthers. Crider reached a new career high a day later with 17 points as GSU closed play in the Hall of Fame Classic with a 83-78 victory over Oakland. Hunter scored 29 points and Ware added a season-high 15 points to lead GSU to its third consecutive triumph.

Cyclones too much for GSU

Ron Hunter said Iowa State was the best team he’d faced since becoming the coach at Georgia State four years ago. The Cyclones showed it over the final 16 minutes on Monday.

Monte Morris scored 12 of his career-high 19 points in the second half to lead five in double figures as No. 14 Iowa State pulled away from Georgia State for an 81-58 victory in the CBE Hall of Fame Classic at Hilton Coliseum.

Iowa State (2-0) led by six points at halftime, but Morris, a sophomore guard, had a lay up off a feed from Naz Long, then Long drained a 3-pointer and it was a 40-29 cushion. That forced Hunter to burn a time out just a minute and a half into the second.

Morris picked up one of his nine assists on a lay up by Bryce Dejean-Jones and it was a 42-29 game before R.J. Hunter hit a pull-up jumper and assisted on two other buckets as GSU (1-1) went on an 8-2 spurt to get within 44-37.

The Atlanta school wouldn’t get any closer.

Long hit one of his five 3-pointers, part of a 17-point night, and Morris added a 3-pointer of his own during a 24-7 run and the Cyclones led 68-44 with 8:20 left to play.

Iowa State, a Sweet 16 team a year ago, handed out 23 assists (Jones had a career-high-tying seven) and in the second half shot 55 percent (17-of-31) from the field.

“This is a really, really good team, this is a final four team,” Ron Hunter said of Iowa State prior to Monday’s game. “They’re talented, they’re extremely well-coached.”

It was a much closer opening half and Iowa State held just a one-point cushion at 28-27 after a bucket by Hunter. But the Panthers made just one more field goal over the final four and a half minutes, while Iowa State closed the half on a 7-2 run and led 35-29 at the break.

Rockdale graduate Kevin Ware had a quiet game, collecting just four points on 1-of-6 shooting, though he did score GSU’s first points two and a half minutes in after grabbing a defensive rebound and finishing a coast-to-coast lay up. Ware later handed out a pair of assists, including one on Hunter’s 3-pointer that pulled GSU to within 20-19 at the 8:17 mark. Thirty seconds later, Georgia State took its first lead of the game at 21-20 on a Markus Crider dunk. That was the start of an up-and-down stretch for Crider, who scored six straight GSU points, including a tough tip-in, but also picked up his third foul and had to sit out the remainder of the half.

GSU’s last lead of the night came on a Ryan Harrow pass to Crider for a jumper. The Cyclones took the lead for good one possession later on a bucket by Georges Niang (10 points, 11 rebounds).

Harrow struggled all night from the field, finishing 6-of-22 from the field, though the senior guard scored 12 points. Hunter led all scorers with 21 points.

Dustin Hogue scored 15 points for the Cyclones, who won their 22nd consecutive non-conference home game. GSU dropped their sixth straight to a ranked team and fell to 0-9 all-time against current Big 12 schools.

Ware, Panthers crush Tennessee Temple in season opener

ATLANTA, Ga. - Game one of the 2014-15 season went quite well for Kevin Ware and his new teammates.

The redshirt-junior from Rockdale High School did a little bit of everything, including being one of five double-figure scorers as the Panthers set a school record for margin of victory in a 115-55 victory over Tennessee Temple at the GSU Sports Arena.

Ware, a Louisville transfer who started at point guard on opening night, hit a pair of jumpers, including a nice pull up in the lane, and had three assists during a 32-7 spurt that put Georgia State (1-0) up 97-40 with 6:43 left.

It was part of a 12-point, five-assist night for Ware, who also grabbed six rebounds for the defending regular season Sun Belt Conference champions. He teamed with starting backcourt mates Ryan Harrow (team-high 25 points) and conference player of the year R.J. Hunter (22 points on 5-of-9 3-point shooting) to form a lethal trio against an overmatched Crusaders team.

The Panthers cruised past the old school record for scoring margin, set in a 45-point win over Piedmont College in December, 1986. The 115 points were the fourth-most in school history and most since a 109-point effort in a victory over Cal-Irvine in November, 1988. GSU also handed out a school-record 27 assists, 19 of which came from the starting backcourt as Hunter had eight assists and Harrow finished with six.

“I really, really like this group (and Friday) we did what we were supposed to do,” said fourth-year GSU coach Ron Hunter. “To have (Ware and Harrow) in the backcourt together playing, it’s a blessing. You add RJ to the mix, those guys are special. It is a blessing for us, you don’t get this very often. Not at mid-majors.”

GSU’s defense was on display in a dominant first half and Ware had plenty to do with holding Tennessee Temple to just 34 percent shooting during the first 20 minutes. The Crusaders went one nearly-five-minute stretch in the first without a field goal as the Panthers used a 17-1 run capped by a Ware-to-Hunter connection for a 3-pointer that turned a six-point cushion into a 32-10 lead with six minutes left.

“I love playing with Kevin, he’s one of my favorite teammates,” said R.J. Hunter, a junior. “He’s so unselfish, doesn’t mind not shooting the ball, loves sharing the ball.”

Hunter scored 11 points over the final three minutes of the half, including an NBA-range three with one second to play that sent GSU into the locker room up 54-25.

GSU’s defense ended up forcing 25 turnovers and had 15 steals. Ware had three of the steals, while Markus Crider led the way with four and Hunter and T.J. Shipes, who narrowly missed a double-double off the bench (10 points, eight rebounds), added two each.

“He changes a program defensively,” Ron Hunter said of Ware. “That’s what Kevin Ware brings, he makes other guys want to defend. He just takes us to another level.”

Curtis Washington added 13 points for GSU, which extended its home winning streak to 14 games. Bryan Jones led Tennessee Temple (2-2) with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Jones and reserve B.J. Brown (4-of-6 for 10 points) shot well, but the rest of the team made just 9-of-39 field goal attempts.


Story at rockdalecitizen.com

Rockdale graduate Franklin powers GSU to softball win

The offense for the Georgia State softball team hadn’t produced much through three innings of Tuesday’s game at Bob Heck Field. But a former Rockdale County prep standout got her collegiate team’s offense going, then led them to a huge come-from-behind victory.

MeQuilla Franklin put Georgia State on the scoreboard with a big hit in the fourth inning, then ripped a go-ahead grand slam in the fifth as the Panthers defeated Kennesaw State 7-5.

Georgia State batted around and scored six times in the fifth against three Kennesaw pitchers. Reliever Morgan Sikes started the frame and gave up a lead off double to Jessica Clifton. After a strike out, Mallory Koepke ripped an opposite field, two-run home run that bounced off the light tower in right-center field.

“We needed something good to happen (and) that kind of made us believe,” said GSU coach Roger Kincaid.

That got the Panthers to within 4-3, but the hosts weren’t done.

Logan Viers walked the only batter she faced - Lauren Coleman - and Mathews re-entered and walked Callie Alford. Megan Litumbe followed with a sharp single to right field and Morgan Brown, who had pinch-ran for Coleman, tried to score from second. Alexis Collis made a strong throw home and Brown, a few feet from the plate, ran back towards third. Brown just beat the throw, but Alford arrived at third at the same time and was tagged out. After a catcher’s interference call allowed Taylor Thorpe to reach first and loaded the bases, Franklin, a Rockdale graduate, hit the first pitch she saw to straight away center field for her second grand slam of the season and Georgia State was ahead to stay.

“Anytime anybody gets a hit, you definitely want to keep moving the line. We just kept producing,” said Franklin, in her second season with GSU after transferring from Chattanooga State Community College. “It was great. It felt good to help the team.”

Kennesaw State got a run back in the sixth when Missy Perkowski drew a one-out walk and scored on a two-out single by Taylor Denton to make it 7-5. The Owls put the tying runs on base in the seventh - Courtney Sutter doubled and Megan Veringa walked - but Katie Worley got two harmless fly outs to end the game.

“We needed this one bad, it was big for us,” Kincaid said.

Georgia State trailed 4-0 when Alford, a Heritage graduate, led off the fourth with a double off Mathews, who started the game and allowed a total of four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched. After the right-hander induced a pair of pop outs, Franklin’s stand-up triple into the right field corner chased home Alford and made it a 4-1 game.

“MeQuilla’s got speed, but she also has pop in her bat,” Kincaid said of Franklin. “She’s done a great job for us.”

GSU starter Kaitlyn Medlam struggled in 2 2/3 innings, walking three and allowing three runs (two earned). Kennesaw State scored one run in each of the first four innings, taking a 1-0 lead when Alford’s passed ball allowed Kara Chambers to score in the opening inning. The Owls went up 2-0 on Veringa’s mammoth solo home run over the scoreboard in right-center field in the second, then it was a three-run cushion after Angie Dascoli had a lead off walk in the third and scored on Veringa’s line drive single passed the head of reliever and winning pitcher Eron Milton. Denton’s infield single against Milton in the fourth made it a 4-0 game.

Photo: Rockdale graduate MeQuilla Franklin rips a fourth-inning triple in Georgia State’s win over Kennesaw State.

Story at rockdalecitizen.com

Kleinschmidt, Tech shut down State on diamond

The Georgia State softball team had a tough time figuring out Kylie Kleinschmidt Sunday.

Kleinschmidt scattered four singles and didn’t allow an earned run in Georgia Tech’s 5-1 victory in the finale of the Georgia Tech-Kennesaw State Invitational at Mewborn Field.

Georgia State, which finished the three-day tournament 2-3, tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning. Ashley Christy led off with a bunt single, stole second, then moved to third on a wild pitch. After a walk to Taylor Anderson, the pair tried a double steal and Tech catcher Alysha Rudnik’s throw got away from shortstop Ashley Thomas, which allowed Christy to score.

Tech answered right away with a three-run bottom half of the third. Facing State starter and losing pitcher Kaitlyn Medlam (3 IP, 4 ER), the Yellow Jackets picked up four consecutive hits, with Rudnik and Katie Johnsky (singles) and Karly Fullem (double) driving in runs to make it a 4-1 game.

That was more than enough for the junior right-hander Kleinschmidt, who struck out seven to move to 7-0 on the young season.

State had two chances to cut into the deficit and each time Rockdale graduate MeQuilla Franklin was involved. In the fifth, Kensey Caldwell reached on a throwing error by third baseman Chelsie Thomas and Christy walked to put runners at first and second with no one out. Franklin hit the ball hard, but right at Thomas at third and Caldwell was caught too far off second to complete the double play.

The visiting Panthers got Christy’s third hit of the day and had runners at first and second with two out in the seventh, but Franklin’s hard-hit ground ball was scooped up for a game-ending fielder’s choice.

Tech, which went 4-1 in the tournament to improve to 10-2 overall, scored the first run of the game on Rudnik’s run-scoring double in the first.

Heritage graduate Callie Alford was hitless in three trips to the plate, but did just miss a pitch in the seventh when she led off with a deep fly out to center field.

Franklin and Alford each struggled during the Panthers’ five tournament games. Franklin, a senior third baseman, was 1 for 15, while Alford, a junior catcher, went just 2 for 17.

Georgia State (6-4) will host Mercer in a doubleheader Wednesday at Bob Heck Field beginning at 4:00 pm.


Photo: MeQuilla Franklin bats against Georgia Tech Sunday in Atlanta.