TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Georgia Southern opened up the 2023 season by dropping a pair of games at the Easton Leadoff Classic on Friday, hosted by No. 9 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Lehigh defeated the Eagles, 4-2, in the first game of the day. No. 9 Alabama then downed Georgia Southern, 8-2, in the nightcap.
The Eagles will wrap up action in the Classic on Saturday by facing Lehigh at Noon and No. 9 Alabama at 2:30 p.m.
GAME ONE: Lehigh 4, Georgia Southern 2
The Eagles plated a pair of runs in the first two innings to take a 2-0 lead on the Mountain Hawks.
Senior Sam Vinson singled to center in the first to drive in sophomore Faith Barth for the 1-0 lead, then junior Dejah Mills had a pinch-hit groundout to score junior Emily Greek in the second.
Junior Graceanne Spears held the Mountain Hawks in check through five innings, but Lehigh plated a pair of runs in the sixth to tie the game. In the top of the seventh, a leadoff double and a hit batter led to the two winning runs.
Chloe Hess (1-0) picked up the complete-game win for Lehigh, giving up four hits and two runs - one earned - in seven innings of work, walking two while striking out six. Spears (0-1) went six-plus innings, giving up six hits and three runs, walking one while striking out four.
GAME TWO: No. 9 Alabama 8, Georgia Southern 2
Georgia Southern took a 2-0 lead on the No. 9-ranked Crimson Tide in the fourth inning as Sam Vinson and Janai Conklin collected back-to-back singles with two outs, then redshirt sophomore Dejah Mills delivered a two-run double to left center field.
Alabama quickly came back in the bottom of the fourth, getting a two-run double of its own from Larissa Preuitt, then an RBI single from Kali Heivilin to take a 3-2 lead. The Crimson Tide then added five runs in the bottom of the fifth, keyed by a three-run home run from Heivilin, to put the game out of reach.
Montana Fouts (1-0) collected the win for Alabama, giving up four hits and two runs in seven innings of work, striking out 16. Bailey Holland (0-1) took the loss for the Eagles, giving up six hits and three runs - two earned - in 3 1/3 innings of work, striking out one.