LAKELAND, Fla. – Sophomore
Destiny Colgate rattled off four RBIs to lead the Florida Southern College softball team past Lynn University on Thursday night by a final score of 10-3 at Chris Bellotto field.
In the first installment of the three-game series, the Moccasins (18-19, 7-12 SSC) were able to take an early lead and never relinquish it, recording 11 hits to keep the pressure on the visiting Fighting Knights (18-21, 7-12 SSC).
Colgate led Florida Southern as she recorded three base hits with a pair of singles and a double while senior
Kelsey Peck tacked on her seventh homerun of the year to highlight the dominant offensive showing.
Junior
Ashley Blessin earned her eighth win of the year, allowing just three hits on the day as she struck out five batters to limit any chance of a comeback.
The Moccasins took the lead early after leadoff batter
Jessica Bryson found her way aboard the base paths on a throwing error to start the game.
Kiki Morris followed suit with a well-placed bunt that kept both players on the bases.
Junior
Skyler Ralstin earned the first RBI of the game as she reached on a fielder's choice that saw Bryson race home, beating the throw to give the Mocs a 1-0 lead.
With two outs, Colgate brought in a pair of runs with a well-struck single to center field, giving Florida Southern a 3-0 lead by the end of the first inning.
After a scoreless second frame, the Fighting Knights were able to capitalize in the third inning, scoring two runs with some heads-up base running, despite Blessin giving up just one hit in the stanza.
The Mocs responded in the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Mocs strung together singles by junior
Taylor Thomas, Colgate, and senior
Tiana Hernandez. A throwing error allowed Thomas to score, giving the Mocs a 4-2 lead.
Bryson would pad the Mocs' lead as she reached on a fielder's choice, with Colgate coming around to score, putting the Moccasins back up by three runs.
The Fighting Knights threatened again in the top of the fifth inning, as a pair of walks and a single were enough to bring another run home, with Lynn cutting the deficit to just two runs headed into the bottom of the fifth, trailing 5-3.
The Mocs really poured on the run support in the fifth inning, with
Maddi Conner starting the frame with a single. Ralstin walked before Colgate delivered a double into left field that scored both runners to put the Mocs up 7-3.
Just moments later, Peck launched her seventh homerun of the year over the left field wall, scoring herself and Colgate, putting the Moccasins ahead by six runs quickly.
After a single from freshman
Kenleigh Smith, Morris doubled for her second hit of the game to score Smith and put the Moccasins ahead 10-3 headed into the sixth inning.
Blessin and the Moccasin defense cruised to victory from that point forward, as the Moccasins' standout pitcher retired each of the next six batters in order to earn the complete-game victory.
The teams now stand even in the conference with records of 7-12 heading into tomorrow's doubleheader. The first pitch for the second game of the series is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Chris Bellotto field.
