In one weekend’s time, an almost perfect conference record was ruined for the Georgia Southern University’s softball team.

Before this road series against Furman University, the Eagles had only lost one conference game and were ranked first overall in the Southern Conference, but now, two more conference losses were added onto their record, lowering them closer to the records of other SoCon opponents.

This entire season, this GSU team has shown nothing but resilience, especially the day after a loss. This is the first series this season that the Eagles haven’t turned things around after a previous loss and the first conference series that has started out with a loss.

Two things occurred in this series that don’t typically happen on GSU’s team. First, senior shortstop Kourtny Thomas posted no hits and no runs during the two games in which the Eagles lost. But, in the only game they won, she earned a home run and two RBI’s. Second, senior pitcher Sarah Purvis was not producing strikeouts in the circle like she normally does in either game she pitched.

The Eagles have a team full of players more than capable to produce wins, but these two players have been influential in shaping this team to its current success level. Since Thomas and Purvis are strongly rooted in this team’s foundation, when they don’t perform the team suffers as a whole.

Having a team that really leans on their seniors could lead to a scary following year, but Head Coach Annie Smith did an excellent job bringing in freshmen the past few years to fill in that foundation.

Freshman infielder Morgan Robinson was able to tally six hits and four RBI’s and sophomore catcher A.J. Hamilton not only produced behind the plate catching, as usual, but she also produced behind the plate batting, tallying six hits and five RBI’s.

This conference series was a little bump in the road for this Eagle team. Even after their three conference losses, they are still the top team in the SoCon and have a good chance at winning the SoCon overall with only two more conference series to go.

The Eagles will continue their play at home on Wednesday, April 16, with a double header against Jacksonville University at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.