Box Score
TAMPA â€" The way Chelsea Oglevie and Kayla Cox were setting down opposing batters Thursday night through the first three innings, it looked like runs would be tough to come by, and maybe even hits. Then Tampa exploded for eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to bring a stunning end to the game by the 8-run rule, and Cox finished off her sixth no-hitter of the season as the 13th-ranked Spartans defeated the Moccasins 8-0.
The only hit by either team in the first three innings was a single by Tampa’s Lindsay Dring leading off the bottom of the third. The Spartans (20-8, 8-5 Sunshine State Conference) also got a leadoff walk from Stacy Piagno in the second, and bunted both runners into scoring position but left them stranded. Florida Southern (12-19, 4-6) got a 2-out walk from Khaliah Brown in the top of the third that turned out to be the its only base runner of the game.
Cox (15-4) struck out seven of the first eight Moccasin hitters before walking Brown, but did not have another strikeout after that. The second time through the batting order saw all of the Moccasins put the ball in play, but they were no-hit for just the fifth time in school history.
Oglevie (8-10) was nearly a match for Cox for three innings, but with one out in the bottom of the fourth, the Spartans got four consecutive hits off her, beginning with a double by Piagno and single by Taylor Storey. Katlyn Raatz and Kandi Kuder followed with consecutive RBI singles, and the Spartans added another run when the Mocs were unable to get Raatz at the plate on a fielder’s choice grounder.
After the fourth run scored on an error, Kayleen Boatright drove in one run with a single, Meagan Burke drove in two with a double, and Piagno ended the scoring with a 2-out RBI single.
Florida Southern and Tampa will complete their 3-game series on Friday with a doubleheader scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
