GULF SHORES, Ala. – The United States Sports University softball team split its final day at the Gulf Coast Invitational on Saturday. The Eagles opened with a 9-0 run-rule victory against Georgetown College before falling 8-7 to Thomas (Ga.) in eight innings.
 
USSU 9, Georgetown College (Ky.) 0 (5 Inn.)
The Eagles (3-12) broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Kassidy (Rowdy) New doubled to left and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ahlexus Lackey.
 
USSU erupted for eight runs in the fifth to put the game away. Jaci Hagler opened the inning with a single and later scored on an RBI single from Aralee Beene. Sydney Taylor followed with a two-run single to center before Bailey Moffat added an RBI single to extend the lead.
 
Later in the inning, Hagler drew a bases-loaded walk and Isabelle Calagaz delivered a three-run double to left field to cap the scoring run.
 
New finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored while Taylor recorded a hit and two RBIs off the bench. Beene, Moffat and Hagler each drove in a run as the Eagles totaled seven hits.
 
Ryleigh Merritt earned the win, allowing one hit over five scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
 
Thomas (Ga.) 8, USSU 7 (8 Inn.)
Thomas (6-11) opened the scoring in the first, but the Eagles responded with three runs in the second. Annabeth (AB) Parrish tripled and scored on an RBI single by Calagaz before Desiree Denmark delivered a two-run double to give USSU a 3-1 lead.
 
The Nighthawks answered with two runs in the second and three more in the third to take a 6-4 advantage.
 
USSU battled back late. In the sixth, Beene doubled and later scored along with Hagler when Moffat reached on an error, tying the game at 6-6. The Eagles then moved ahead in the seventh when Beene reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on an RBI single by Denmark to make it 7-6.
 
Thomas answered in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI groundout to force extra innings before pushing across the winning run in the eighth.
 
Parrish led the Eagles with three hits including a triple and double while Denmark finished with two hits and three RBIs. Calagaz added two hits and an RBI and Irina Sanford recorded two hits as USSU totaled 10.
 
Breana Barnes started and allowed six runs, four earned, over three innings. McKynzi Dawson (0-2) took the loss in relief.
 
Up Next
USSU hosts Baptist University of Florida in a doubleheader on Tuesday starting at 12 p.m. (CT) at the Daphne Sports Complex.
 
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