DUE WEST, S.C. – The Flagler College softball team scored a total of 32 runs in their first two games of the Bearcat/Fleet Invitational on Friday at Erskine Softball Complex. The Saints took a 15-2 victory over Erskine College and 17-4 over Emmanuel University, ending both games after five innings.
In game one, Erskine was the first on the board with one run coming in the bottom of the second. Flagler quickly followed that with six runs on three hits in the top of the third. With runners on first and third, Emily Ricci reached first on an error that also allowed Jordan Moss to score the first run for the Saints. The bases were loaded with only one out when Cassidy Crump sacrificed a foul out ball to score Sydney Stewart. A double to center field by Kyla Knier brought in the next two runs, scoring Hannah Smith and Ricci to make it 4-1. Mackenzie Smith sent a ball over the fence in center field for a two-run homerun, pushing the Saints lead to 6-1.
The top of the fourth was another productive inning for Flagler, with seven runs coming in on seven hits. Moss started things off with a single and was followed by Paige Maseda who earned a base on balls. Stewart connected on a double to right field to bring in Moss for the first run of the inning. Two runs were scored on an error by the Erskine shortstop, allowing Ricci to reach first. Mackenzie Smith stepped up to the plate with bases loaded, putting a ball in center field for an RBI single to make it 10-1. Another single came from Rylee Konowalchuk that scored Knier and Hannah Smith. Stewart connected for a base hit that brought Mackenzie Smith home to score the 13th run.
Erskine added another run of their own in the bottom of the fourth.
The final two runs for the Saints came in the top of the fifth on a two RBI single from Konowalchuk that scored Olivia Burns and Reese Snipes.
The Flagler defense kept up their game to finish in run-rule fashion. Dakota Kulis (2-1) earned the win for the Saints after pitching the complete game, allowing four hits and recording five strikeouts.
In game two Flagler kept their momentum alive, starting the game with a 1-2-3 defensive inning in the top of the first. Stewart got things moving offensively with a double to right center and scored the first run for the Saints on an RBI double from Ricci. Hannah Smith connected for a single that scored Ricci to make it 2-0. Smith scored on a single from Konowalchuk, putting Flagler up by three runs. The bottom of the second saw four runs on four hits for the Saints with the first coming from Ricci on an RBI double. Crump sent Ricci home on a two-out single and Knier homered to left field for two more runs, making it a 7-0 lead.
Emmanuel put up three runs on five hits in the top of the third. In the bottom of the third, Ricci once again bringing in runs for the Saints with a single that scored Moss and Konowalchuck. Hannah Smith doubled to right field to score Ricci, extending the lead 11-3. Back-to-back homeruns for the Saints in the bottom of the fourth from Mackenzie Smith and Konowalchuk made it 13-3. Ricci sent a ball over the fence for a three RBI homer, scoring Stewart and Maseda. The final run for Flagler came on a passed ball that allowed Hannah Smith to run home.
Emmanuel put up their final run in the top of the fifth with an RBI double.
Jordan Sheets (4-1) earned the win for Flagler after pitching the full run-rule game. Hannah Smith went 6-for-7 on the day with four runs and two RBI. Mackenzie Smith had a day, going 4-for-7 with three runs scored and four RBI, with a homerun in each game. Konowalchuk went 5-for-7 with six RBI and two runs of her own.
The Saints will face #16 Wingate University and Young Harris College in their final games of the Bearcat/Fleet Invitational on Saturday (Feb. 17).
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