ST. AUGUSTINE –
Madelyn Wise (1-0) tossed a complete game shutout and
Kyleigh Taylor socked a three-run home run as Flagler College won the season opener 3-0 over Queens University of Charlotte, but the Royals won game two 5-2 to split the non-conference softball doubleheader Friday afternoon at Flagler Field.
Both Flagler and Queens are now 1-1 and will continue play in the Flagler Invitational on Saturday.
"It wasn't the exact result we wanted, but there were positives on the day," said head coach
Kathryn Grant. "We saw some things we need to work on and are looking forward to playing tomorrow."
Wise had an efficient outing throwing 70-of-her-110 pitches for strikes and fanned eight batters. She retired the last 13-of-16 batters and never allowed a base runner to reach third base.
After getting five hits through the first five innings,
Paige Maseda and
Olivia Parker started the sixth with back-to-back singles. Taylor belted a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall to give the Saints a 3-0 lead.
Wise had two runners on with two outs in the top of the seventh and got the last batter to ground out to end the game.
Maseda hit two singles and scored a run and
Mackenzie Smith hit a double.
Jordan Dunn (0-1) took the loss in the circle for the Royals. She allowed three runs on nine hits.
Six different Queens players hit a single.
In the second game, the Royals scored two runs in the fourth and fifth innings while Kristen McPherson (1-0) went the distance for the win. She induced 11 fly outs and seven ground outs.
Queens University of Charlotte was in a giving mood in the first inning as two errors after two outs were recorded led to an unearned run.
Run scoring singles by Kaylee DeJesus and Jordan Hunt in the fourth inning gave the Royals a 2-1 lead.
DeJesus and Gerlea Patton each had an RBI single in the fifth for insurance.
Maseda hit a one-out double in the Flagler fifth and later scored on a fielder's choice.
Kayla Smith's solo home run in the sixth capped the scoring for the Royals.
Haley Nelson collected three singles and scored a run for Queens. Kasidi Staley hit two singles while Smith and DeJesus each had a pair of hits. DeJesus knocked in two runs.
Rachel Hester (0-1) took the loss in her collegiate debut. She fanned five batters, but allowed four runs on 11 hits.
Maseda finished with two hits and scored a run.
Flagler hosts Florida Southern College tomorrow at 10 a.m. and closes the fay against Lynn University at 8 p.m. at Flagler Field.
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