MELBOURNE, Fla. – Flagler College opened play in the Florida Tech Softball Classic on Saturday at the Dr. Nancy Bottge Field. Flagler lost the opener to No. 22 (NFCA Division II Top 25) St. Mary's University of Texas, 8-4, and then lost to the host team, Florida Tech, 5-2.
Flagler is now 7-4 on the season. St. Mary's moved to 9-6 while Florida Tech evened its record at 6-6.
In the opener, the Saints trailed early (1-0), but erupted to score four runs in the fourth inning.
Morgan Murphy socked a three-run home run to center field that chased Staci Johns from the game.
Tracy Caccavale greeted St. Mary's reliever Julia Cruz (1-0) with a single to center and later scored on
Garland Evans' base hit.
The Rattlers came right back in the top half of the fifth. Raynelle Nash belted a grand slam to center field to put St. Mary's back on top 5-4.
Abigale Carney hit a home run to right-center to lead off the sixth and St. Mary's added two more in the seventh.
Cruz tossed two-thirds of an inning in relief and picked up the win. She scattered five hits and allowed one run. Alex McLennan tossed three scoreless innings to earn the save. She allowed one hit and fanned three.
Alex Moreno went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored.
Katlyn McCue (4-2) allowed nine hits and seven earned runs for the Saints.
Evans collected two singles and had one run batted in.
Natalie Murphy hit two singles and
Tatum Morgan went 2-for-4 with a double.
In the second game, Florida Tech opened with a four-run first inning. Rachel Kraak had the big hit of the inning, a two-run triple to right-center to stake the Panthers to the early 4-0 lead.
That would be more than enough for Melanie Murphy (3-3) who allowed just four hits and two unearned runs. She retired 12 of the first 14 batters she faced. Murphy retired 14 batters on fly outs.
The lone runs for the Saints came in the fifth inning. With runners at second and third and two outs, Evans reached on a throwing error by the Florida Tech second baseman, which allowed both runs to score.
Shanysse Emerenciana collected two singles for the Panthers.
Ally Marcano (3-2) tossed four innings and allowed four hits as well as five runs. She walked four and struck out four. Caccavale pitched a scoreless two innings in relief.
Morgan Murphy collected a pair of singles for the Saints.
Flagler wraps up the two-day tournament tomorrow (Feb. 18) with Adelphi University at 12:30 p.m. and Florida Tech at 3 p.m.
