WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Junior utility player
Janel Gamache belted out three hits and drove in four runs as UNCW opened its 2021 softball season by splitting a pair of non-conference games against Georgia State at Boseman Field on Sunday afternoon.
The Seahawks, playing their first games in 350 days, overcame an 8-2 loss in the opener by coming from behind to secure a 5-4 victory in the nightcap. Georgia State stands 6-3 on the early season after the doubleheader split.
Gamache went 3-for-6 in the twinbill with two doubles and a home run to pace the Seahawk offense. She also recorded the first save of her college career in the nightcap with a scoreless seventh inning in the circle.
Freshman
Tayler Vitola and junior
Gabriella Hessenthaler added two hits apiece for UNCW, which tallied 13 hits in the two games. Vitola drove in a run in the opener while Hessenthaler scored twice and swiped three bases.
Sophomore pitcher
Amberlyn Pearce earned the victory in the circle during the second game after allowing four runs on nine hits in 6.0 innings. She also registered five strikeouts to earn the first victory of her college career.
How It Happened – Game 1: Georgia State scored three runs on five hits in the first inning to build an early lead and never looked back. The Seahawks trimmed the margin to 3-1 in the bottom of the frame when Hessenthaler scored on an RBI groundout by Vitola. But, the Panthers added five runs in the seventh inning to seal the victory.
How It Happened – Game 2: Trailing by a 4-1 margin, UNCW scored four unanswered runs to earn the doubleheader split. Sophomore outfielder
Savannah Lampley drove in a run with a single in the fourth inning before Gamache's two-run home run in the fifth tied the game at 4-all. Freshman pinch hitter
Charlotte Schultheis followed with a single up the middle that scored junior outfielder
Camryn Dean for the game-winning run.
Up Next: UNCW closes out its February schedule by welcoming Appalachian State to Boseman Field for a four-game series next weekend. The Seahawks and Mountaineers will play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 27, and Sunday, Feb. 28.
