ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. –
Garland Evans' three hits and three runs batted in powered Flagler College to a 9-4 win in the second game against No. 5 (NFCA Division II Top 25) Valdosta State University at Flagler Field on Wednesday evening. Valdosta State defeated Flagler in the first contest, 5-4. Evans had four hits, four RBI and scored three runs in the doubleheader.
The Saints own a 12-11 overall mark after the split and the Blazers left with a 17-4 overall record.
in the nightcap, Flagler answered Valdosta's second-inning run with two in the bottom half. Evans began her big game offensively by doubling to right center scoring
Natalie Murphy on the play. Evans came in to score on a single through the right side of the infield by
Megan Miller.
The two sides put up multiple runs in the third. The Blazers plated two when Taylor Hartenbach was hit by a pitch forcing in Tara McIntyre and Jessical Mohl scored on sacrifice fly by Hayley Cruthers. In the home half, a fielder's choice by
Maddy Murphy brought in
Whitney Woodard,
Alli-Ann Bigale came in on a throwing error and
Morgan Murphy drove in
Mackenzie Conley on a sacrifice fly.
The Saints secured the win in the fifth with three insurance runs to extend the advantage to 8-4.
Natalie Murphy doubled to open the frame and Evans promptly singled to score her. Evans later came in on a wild pitch and
Morgan Murphy advanced home on the same play aided by a throwing error from the catcher.
Evans punctuated the game with a run-scoring double in the sixth.
Ally Marcano (10-3) bounced back from her loss in the first game by firing five innings of one-run softball in relief of
Callie Reed. Marcano allowed two hits and struck out six. Reed tossed two frames and surrendered three runs on three hits.
Maci Fletcher (0-1) suffered the loss for The Blazers. She gave up six runs on four hits through three innings of work in relief.
Flagler scored three runs in the sixth inning of the first game to climb back within 5-4 of Valdosta State. Evans ignited the scoring with a single to center sending
Maddy Murphy home. Murphy had reached on a fielding error. Evans later came home with
Natalie Murphy on a dropped fly ball by the center fielder.
Earlier in the contest, the Blazers answered the Saints' first run in the second with three in the third. Hartenbach smacked a double into right center allowing Chelsea Canara and McIntyre to score. Cruthers followed with an RBI single for a 4-1 lead. Hartenbach delivered two important insurance runs with a leadoff homer in the fifth and a run-scoring single on a bunt in the sixth for a 5-1 lead before Flagler scored three times in the home half of that inning. Hartenbach went 3-for-3 with a double, home run, four runs batted in and she scored two runs.
Marcano suffered the loss giving up three runs on four hits over 2.1 innings.
Katelynn Smith threw 4.2 innings out of the bullpen allowing two runs on five hits.
Conley collected a pair of singles for the Saints.
Kathryn Carter (7-0) remained unbeaten allowing four runs, all unearned, over 6.1 innings. Avery Lamb notched the save as she recorded the final two outs. It was her first save of the season.
Flagler will hit the road to take on Young Harris College on Sunday (Feb. 5) at 12 p.m. for its first Peach Belt Conference matchup of the 2017 season.
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