ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The Flagler College softball team spent its doubleheader Friday the way everyone wants to end a week: victorious.
Behind a stout defense and a pair of complete-game performances from
Kyra Gipson and
Madelyn Wise, the Saints swapped a four-game skid with a doubleheader sweep of Lander University, 4-2 and 3-1, at Flagler Field.
"I am extremely proud of this team and the fight it showed today," Flagler head coach
Kathryn Geouge said. We are getting better every day and it's great to see their hard work paying off!"
In game one, the Saints (10-12, 4-4 PBC) struck first and even when Lander (13-9, 0-4) took the lead in the top of the third, the home team had an answer. After drawing back-to-back walks to leadoff,
NaJah Gerrald and
Mercedes Salinas scored a pair of crucial runs.
Kyleigh Taylor plated Gerrald for the second time — the first via an RBI-groundout in the first inning and this time on a double the wind pulled back in the park — to knot the score at 2-all, and then
Morgan Murphy came in the clutch with an extra-base hit of her own. The senior took the ball down the left-field line, scoring Salinas for what proved to be the game-winning run in the bottom of the third.
From there, Gipson (W, 8-4) and the defense kept the Bearcats honest. The fifth-year senior didn't allow a run after the third and only allowed two (one earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out five for the game one victory. In the sixth, Flagler's
Mackenzie Smith hit a one-out single, and after being replaced by
Michelle Santiago for a pinch runner following
Alyssa Velez' walk, Santiago scored an extra insurance run on a
Kirsty Granville RBI-single.
Paige Maseda and Velez also had hits for the Saints.
In game two, Wise (W, 2-5) followed her mentor in the circle with a complete game of her own, allowing just one run on five hits and striking out a pair. Led by some tough defensive plays by Smith and
Bella Munoz, the defense was stellar as Taylor made some key outs at the home plate to keep Lander off the board.
After Lander took the one-run lead in the third, Flagler knotted it up in the fourth before taking the lead in the sixth. Offensively, Gerrald led Flagler with a pair of hits and a walk, while the Bearcats' five defensive errors assisted the Saints.
Flagler's game-tying run was thanks to Santiago, who ran for Smith again, as she scored on a two-out error from the shortstop that allowed Maseda to reach. In the sixth is when the Saints took control for good. Smith hit a frame-leadoff double to left field, and then scored the game-winning run via Granville's RBI single. Granville scored two batters later when Munoz reached on an error after Gerrald's single kept the inning alive. Salianas and Maseda also recorded hits.
Up Next: The Saints now have a week off before hitting the road for a pair of conference doubleheaders at UNC Pembroke Saturday, April 10 followed by another at Francis Marion on Sunday, April 11 at 1 p.m.
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