Story Courtesy Georgia Southern sports information
STATESBORO, GA ? Sophomore Melissa Laliberte (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada/ABAC/St. Mary’s SS) and junior A.J. Street (Lilburn, Ga./Parkview) combined for two no-hitters in the same day as Georgia Southern (7-12) defeated South Carolina State (3-8) 9-0 and 9-1.
The Eagles were able to capitalize off of seven total errors committed by the Bulldogs in the two game set.
GSU 9, SCSU 0
Georgia Southern used two triples in the third inning to break the game open. Up 1-0, the Eagles opened their half of the inning with senior Shanita Black (Fayetteville, N.C./Seventy-First) reaching first on an error by SCSU second baseman YeShira Butler. Black then stole second and was able to advance to third as Butler again made a throwing error on a ground ball hit by junior Aurora Johnson (Macon, Ga./Westside). Junior Heather Smith (Williamson, Ga./Pike County), who started the game at catcher, then tripled home the two runners on a line drive hit to left field. Eagle second baseman, senior Gina Sterchi (Chattanooga, Tenn./Girls Prep) then followed with a triple of her own, to right-center, which drove in Smith.
GSU added another three runs the next inning with the aid of Sterchi. After loading the bases, Bulldog starter Donisha Johnson (2-2) gave up a double to the Chattanooga, Tennessee native which drove in Smith, Black, and freshman Michelle Beasley (Metter, Ga./Metter).
The run support would be more than enough for Laliberte (3-4) who worked the complete game, giving up only four walks, no hits and striking out five.
GSU 9, SCSU 1
In the second game of the twin-bill, Street (1-4) proved masterful as she went five innings for the complete game, allowed no earned runs, walked only one while striking out seven.
The Eagles again struck early, this time off of SCSU starter Lilliana Gootnag, who lasted only a third of an inning. After giving up four runs (only 1 earned) on two walks, a single to Heather Smith, and having an error committed behind her, Gootnag was pulled for game 1 starter Johnson who helped the Eagles cause further by throwing a wild pitch and allowing Smith to score from third.
The Bulldogs would score their lone run of the doubleheader in their half of the fifth inning. After reaching on an error, SCSU first baseman Shanika Mitchell advanced to third as two more Eagle errors were committed on a fielder’s choice hit by Donisha Johnson. Leftfielder Tatreka Polite then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Mitchell.
The Eagles struck back big in the bottom of the inning however, as Street, who went 2 for 3 at the plate on the day, led off with a single up the middle. One batter later, freshman Carrie Mixon (Statesboro, Ga./Portal) doubled to left center to drive in senior Carolynn Chin (St. Petersburg, Fla./Dixie Hillins) who pinch ran for Street. Shanita Black followed with an infield single and Aurora Johnson then doubled through the left side to drive in both Mixon and Black. Following two walks to load the bases, Johnson came home to score the final run of the game on the second wild pitch of the game from Donisha Johnson.