MONTEVALLO, Ala. – Flagler College used a nine-run fifth inning to defeat the University of Montevallo in game one, 10-4, and then Kolyn Kyser hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the eighth for Montevallo to salvage the split, 5-1, in a Peach Belt Conference softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Orr Park.
Flagler is now 12-9 overall and 1-1 in the Peach Belt. Montevallo is 7-11 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
In the opener, Kaitlynn Thompson socked a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Falcons a 3-1 lead. The Saints followed in the fifth by sending 15 batters to the plate and scoring nine runs on eight hits.
Tori Volz and
Malloree Escue hit back-to-back two-run doubles which chased starter Jocelyn Rivera (2-3) from the game. Later in the inning,
Mackenzie Conley added a two-run double of her own.
That was plenty enough offense for
Haleigh Corbally (5-4) who tossed four innings, scattered four hits and allowed three runs.
Tinsley Smith finished the last three innings, allowed two hits and one run while walking three and fanning two. She tied the school's record for saves in a season with five.
Escue paced Flagler's 11-hit attack by going 2-for-2 with a double, three runs batted in and a run scored. Volz had two doubles, two RBI and a run scored.
Garland Evans went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two more knocked in. Conley went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and she scored a run.
Rivera tossed four-plus innings, allowed seven hits and five earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts.
Kelsey Vining went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and two runs scored. Thompson went 2-for-2 with the home run, two runs scored and two RBI.
In game two, both teams scored a run in the third inning, but the Falcons were able to finally break the 1-all tie in the eighth against Flagler reliever
Katelynn Smith (1-2). Vining led off with a single and then stole second. Shelby Lopez was hit by a pitch and Celestia Davila reached on an infield single to load the bases. Kyser then stepped to the plate and belted a grand slam to end the game.
Jostlyn Higgerson (5-4) went the distance for Montevallo and scattered seven hits, allowed one run and struck out three batters. She retired 14 batters on ground outs and another six on fly outs.
Vining collected two singles, stole two bases and scored a run for Montevallo. Davila went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Callie Reed started for the Saints and tossed seven innings. She allowed four hits, one run, walked three and struck out four.
Whitney Woodard went 2-for-3 for the Saints with a double. Evans collected two singles and scored a run.
Flagler wraps up its two-day road trip with a doubleheader tomorrow (Feb. 28) at noon (Central) at Tuskegee University.
