Inconsistency plagued the Georgia Southern University softball team as it dropped two out of three on the road to Western Carolina University this past weekend.

Things were looking up as the team kicked off the weekend with a 4-0 shutout.  Junior pitcher Sarah Purvis struck out nine on the way to her ninth win this season.

The offense got a boost from senior left fielder Alexa Lewis in the top of the third inning.  Lewis hit a leadoff homer over the fence in right field to give GSU its first lead of the series.

The Eagles had defeated WCU 10 straight times coming into the series, and a game-one shutout gave the impression that nothing was going to change.

Game two saw WCU come out like a team sick of losing to a conference rival.  WCU capitalized on a passed ball to score in the bottom of the first inning.

The Eagles went three up and three down in the second inning, and WCU pounced with five runs in the bottom of the second.

Mistakes also opened the door for that burst as senior third baseman Andrea Tarashuk committed an error.  That error followed by some timely singles had GSU staring at a 6-0 deficit before the Eagles knew what hit them.

Junior shortstop Kourtny Thomas tried to energize her team with a solo shot in the fourth inning, but the team would not score again until the top of the seventh.  GSU would fall by a score of 7-2.

After losing to WCU for the first time in 11 games, the Eagles still had a chance to take the series on Sunday, and the long ball looked like their ticket to victory.

Junior designated hitter Shelby Morrill hit a two-run shot to left center field in the top of the first inning.

With Purvis in the pitcher’s circle, that seemed like it would be enough run support to send GSU home with a victory.

Unfortunately the Eagles were about to get hit with a four-run wave in the bottom of the fourth inning, and the team would not recover.

WCU freshman first baseman Taylor Sigmon rubbed salt in an open wound with her solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.

The 5-2 loss makes the upcoming series with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro that much more important because the teams are currently fighting it out for third place in the Southern Conference.

The Eagles will get their shot at UNCG this weekend at Eagle Field starting on Saturday at 1 p.m.