ATHENS -- Georgia's softball team rolled on and Georgia State's rolled out in the NCAA Athens Regional at Jack Turner Field on Saturday.
The sixth-ranked and top-seeded Bulldogs defeated Alabama-Birmingham 9-2 in the first game to advance in the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament. They’ll face Florida State, a 13-1 winner over UAB, for the regional championship on Sunday in one or two games, beginning at noon.
Coach Lu Harris-Champer's team tied a school record with five home runs , including two by senior Megan Wiggins of Snellville. The Bulldogs (49-12) are seeking their third consecutive College World Series appearance.
"We focus on having a line-drive mentality, not necessarily going up to the plate looking for a home run," Wiggins said. "We just stay in the process working for base hits. If they go, they go."
Ashley Pauly, Ashley Razey and Kristyn Sandberg also went deep for the Bulldogs, who now have 88 home runs on the season. The school record is 99, set last season.
The Panthers, who lost to UGA 8-0 in Friday's opening round, were unable to get past FSU in Saturday's elimination game, falling 6-1. Georgia State (36-25) was making its second NCAA appearance (the other was 1994) after winning the Colonial Athletic Association championship this season.
"Bittersweet is the best way I can describe it," said Roger Kincaid, the Panthers' interim head coach. "I couldn't be more proud of our team."
The Panthers' bats went to sleep in the tournament, and a pregame bat-throwing ritual in the outfield was unable to stir them. But it did seem to have an effect on senior Lauren Jones. The first baseman from Stockbridge had two of the Panthers' four hits, including a solo home run in the fourth inning that enabled her to set the school's single-season record with 32.
Kincaid turned emotional when discussing Jones' accomplishments.
"I couldn't be more proud of Lauren Jones," he said. "I've been coaching her since she was 10 years old."
It has been an emotional season for Kincaid and the Panthers. Longtime coach Bob Heck abruptly retired in February and Kincaid was named interim head coach. Having led GSU to its first tournament berth in 17 years, many believe Kincaid will keep the job.
"We've been through a lot this year," Jones said. "We got two new coaches, and we took it on and went with it. I'm just proud that we made it here."
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