Box Score
CLEARWATER â€" Madalyn Murphy’s big day at the plate and one big hit by Tori Volz were enough to drive Flagler’s offense early on Sunday, while Florida Southern’s relief pitching gave the Moccasins a chance to get back in the game. The two RBI by Murphy and the two by Volz held up though, as the Saints defeated the Moccasins 5-2 in their final game at the Eckerd College Invitational.
Florida Southern (1-3) fell behind 3-0 when Flagler scored three in the top of the second inning. The Saints (6-6) received three walks in that frame, the first one by Murphy, and the last of which forced in a run. An attempted force out at second when the Saints were trying to sacrifice played a role too. Freshman Brandi Jones (Snellville, Ga.) nearly got out of it allowing only one run, but Volz hit a bloop single into short center with two out that brought in two more.
The Moccasins got on the board in the bottom of the second when they too loaded the bases on a single by sophomore Leah Pemberton (Valrico, Fla.), a walk by junior Dayna Hunn (Morriston, Fla.), and a hit batter that put junior Kim Booker (Bartow, Fla.) at first. Sophomore Jordan Alexander (Valrico, Fla.) then hit the ball hard to Flagler third baseman Molly Whittington, who knocked it down and got the out at third, with Pemberton scoring for the Mocs.
Flagler pushed its lead back to four when Mackenzie Conley led off the top of the third with a double and scored on a single by Murphy. That forced the Mocs into a pitching change, and senior Chelsea Oglevie (Tampa, Fla.) retired the final three Flagler batters in the third and all three in the fourth before Christen Moon doubled to start the fifth inning. The Saints got her in with another single by Murphy, making the score 5-1.
Again the Moccasins got a run back with one in the bottom of the sixth, which started when junior Jessica Lanci (Orlando, Fla.) dropped a single into short left center for a leadoff hit. A single by junior Priscilla Gonzalez (Miami, Fla.) and Hunn’s second walk of the game loaded the bases for Booker, who drove in Lanci with a fly ball to right.
The Moccasins got a single from senior Heather Brinkmeier (Port St. Joe, Fla.) in the bottom of the seventh, but Flagler pitcher Kalyn Loverich left her at first and picked up the win for the Saints. Now 3-3 on the season, she allowed two runs on six hits, struck out two and walked two.
Jones, now 1-2, took the loss for Florida Southern, but the Moccasins got fabulous work from Ogelvie, sophomore Kelli Connors (Waterford, Conn.) and freshman Hannah Loyer (Bradenton, Fla.) out of the bullpen. That trio combined to pitch 5.0 innings and allowing only one unearned run between them. Oglevie pitched 2.1 innings, Connors pitched 1.2, and Loyer pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning in her college debut. They gave up four hits between them (two of them softly-hit singles against Connors), struck out two and walked none.
Florida Southern will play its 2014 home opener on Wednesday when it hosts Simon Fraser (BC) in a 5 p.m. doubleheader at Barnett Field.
