NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The softball team split a pair of games in Myrtle Beach on Thursday as they resumed action after a day off. The Panthers lost 9-7 to Fitchburg State in a game that went 11 innings and followed that with a 12-2 win over Lancaster Bible.
The Panthers needed a rally in game one as they staked Fitchburg to a 4-0 lead in the top of the second. Greenville answered with a run in the bottom of the second when Beth Mersinger scored on a wild pitch.
GU took the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a five run frame. Deidre Holzhauer plated the first runs of the inning on two-run single and later scored on a wild pitch. Olivia Shipman stepped to the plate and gave Greenville a run-scoring single, and Amanda Atteberry added the final run of the inning after she went home on a wild pitch to put GU on top 6-4.
FSU tied the game in the top of the sixth when they reached relief pitcher Caitie Opp for two runs, and the game went into extra innings tied at 6-all.
After a pair of scoreless innings, Fitchburg State went up 7-6 in the top of the 10th, but Maegan Stone gave Greenville an RBI single in the bottom of the inning to push the game deeper.
Greenville could not answer two FSU runs in the top of the 11th innings.
Shipman and Stone both ended the game with two hits for GU, and Holzhauer knocked in two runs.
Cayla Speaks relieved Opp in extra innings and was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs, one earned, in four innings. Opp went six innings in relief and gave up four runs and no earned runs. Kendall Farr permitted two runs in the first inning.
Game two went completely Greenville's way as they piled 12 runs on Lancaster Bible and won the game in six innings.
The Panthers opened up a 9-2 lead before the third inning was completed with a run in the first inning, three in the second, and five in the third.
Greenville's significant offensive efforts were provided by Megan Barrett, Holzhauer, Farr, and Speaks who all had three hits.
Farr also provided four RBI, and Barrett and Speaks each had two RBI.
Stone and Farr scored three runs, and Stone crossed home plate safely twice.
Stone earned the pitching win in relief after she posted 5.1 innings of scoreless softball and struck out six.
The Panthers (4-2) conclude their trip with games against Lycoming and Lancaster Bible on Friday.