MELBOURNE, Fla. – Flagler College closed out the Florida Tech Softball Classic on Sunday with a 7-2 win over Adelphi University, but then suffered a tough 4-3 loss to Florida Tech at Dr. Nancy Bottge Field.
Flagler left with an 8-5 record and went 1-3 in the tournament. Adelphi lost both of its games in the tournament, which was there season opener. Florida Tech is now 7-6 and posted a 3-2 mark in its own tournament.
In the opener, Flagler sent 12 batters to the plate and scored six runs in the first inning.
Maria Kappos hit a two-run double to score the game's first runs and
Natalie Murphy followed her with a two-run home run to left to give the Saints a 4-0 lead. A fielder's choice and an infield single by
Garland Evans produced the other two runs. Evans had two hits in the inning as she led off the game with a double.
Ally Marcano (4-2) cruised to a win as she scattered four hits and allowed two runs. She walked four and struck out four.
Evans finished 3-for-4 with the double, a run scored and one run batted in.
Natalie Murphy went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and three RBI. Kappos hit two doubles, scored two runs and knocked in two more.
Tatum Morgan went 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run.
Ally Muller (0-1) tossed six innings and surrendered 10 hits as well as seven runs. She walked four and fanned five.
Nicoletta Cuccio went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and she scored a run.
Adelphi, located in Garden City, New York, won the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament title last year and was the NCAA Division II Garden City Region champions before falling to Molloy College in the super region playoffs.
In the nightcap, the home-standing Panthers, playing as the visitors, took advantage of a Flagler miscue and plated the winning run in the seventh inning.
Xiarysse Emerenciana led off the seventh by reaching on a fielding error by
Morgan Murphy. She stole second and then advanced to third on a fly out. Ally Carver drove her home on a sacrifice fly to right field.
Flagler had its chance in the home half of the seventh. Fighting the setting sun, Evans led off with a single up the middle and went to second when Kappos drew a one-out walk. But Florida Tech reliever McKenzie Krutsinger (3-1) stranded the runners as she retired the last two batters.
Natalie Murphy tied the game for the Saints at 1-all when she led off the second inning with a home run to left-center.
Trailing 3-1 going into the bottom of the fourth,
Morgan Murphy belted a two-run homer to left field to tie the game.
Krutsinger tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings in relief and scattered two hits. Melanie Murphy started and last 3 2/3 innings. She allowed six hits and three runs.
Vanessa Rubio went 3-for-3 with a home run and scored two runs for the Panthers.
Katlyn McCue (4-3) allowed six runs and three earned runs as she went the distance. She walked three and struck out two.
Evans collected a pair of singles while
Natalie Murphy went 2-for-4 with a double to go along with the homer. Hayley Kirinsky singled twice for the Saints.
Flagelr returns home to face Erskine College on Saturday (Feb. 24) at 1 p.m. at Flagler Field.
