The Georgia Southern University softball team fought its way to a 3-0 Southern Conference record over the weekend after sweeping Elon University in a weekend series on the road.

The Eagles defeated the Phoenix 8-5 and 6-4 in a doubleheader on Saturday, then once more with a score of 5-2 on Sunday.

To start their doubleheader, the Eagles scored three runs in the first two innings, but Elon was quick to respond with three runs as well to tie the ball game.

With two innings left in regulation play, neither team could get a run on the board, so the game rolled over into extra innings. In the top of the 10th inning, junior infielder Kourtny Thomas scored off of a double by senior infielder Tabby Douberley, but the Phoenix responded with a run right back.

With the tie scored once again, the Eagles were back at the plate in the top of the 11th inning. With a mixture of hits, errors and walks the Eagles scored four runs, which triumphed over the Phoenix’s one run in response.

Douberley was essential for the Eagles on Saturday, earning three RBI’s off of three hits, one of which was the run scored in the tenth inning and another in the eleventh inning to keep GSU’s lead. In the circle, sophomore pitcher Brooke Red went seven and two-thirds innings earning her career-high 11 strikeouts.

With one long game under GSU’s belt, it was a slow start into the second with no runs scored in the first inning by either team. In the second inning, Douberley was back behind the plate and scored a solo homerun to take the lead and to add to her already successful day.

That was followed by another scoreless inning, but in the fourth inning, two walks led to a two run single straight up the middle by sophomore pitcher Savannah Coon. Later on, singles by sophomore outfielder Kaitlyn Johnson and junior infielder Gabrielle Story put more runs on the board and the Eagles were leading 6-0.

Just when the Eagles looked like they were in a perfect position for the win, Elon started to make a comeback and scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut GSU’s lead from six runs to only two. In the seventh inning, the Phoenix was close to earning two runs to tie the game, but junior pitcher Sarah Purvis had two consecutive strikeouts to end the game.

The following day, the Eagles had to take on Elon once more to finish out the weekend. From the start of the game, it looked like this game was going to be a close one, with both teams scoring two runs in the first inning. But the Eagles were able to follow up with two more runs with no response from the Phoenix.

In the final inning of the game, the Eagles once again scored a run, leading to the final score of 5-2. In the last two games of the weekend, the pitching for the Eagles was very strong. Sharing the final two games, Purvis earned a total of 10 strikeouts and junior pitcher Allie Miles fanned eight batters

GSU will continue to play on the road at the Florida State University Tournament in Tallahassee, Fla. on Saturday and Sunday against the University of Minnesota and FSU.