LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College softball team battled till the final inning in both games against visiting Adelphi University. The Moccasins (12-18) dropped a slow starting game one 1-0, before battling it out in extra innings falling to the Panthers (6-8) 7-3 in nine innings.
On the day,
Gabby Young led the way going 4-for-7 from the plate. Against Adelphi, Young hit a double, triple, and an RBI with two runs scored.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 0, ADELPHI 1
The Mocs and Panthers had a rather quiet game as neither team could get a run across until the final inning. FSC had its first hit of the game in the bottom of the third when left fielder Young singled through the right side. Young had the second hit of the game with a double to center field to get into scoring position. Pinch hitter
Riley Onisawa hit into a groundout to advance Young 90 feet from home, but the freshman was left stranded.
In the top of the seventh, Adelphi led off with a double to quickly get a runner in scoring position. The Mocs got two outs after the lead-off hit, but an out was a sac bunt putting the runner at third. The Panthers had a pinch hitter come in to hit a single into left field for an RBI and take a 1-0 advantage.
Florida Southern looked to tie the game in the bottom of the inning, as designated player
Destiny Colgate led off with a single to left field to get a rally going. It was all FSC could manage as Colgate was stranded at first base and game one went to the Panthers with a 1-0 win.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 3, ADELPHI 7
Unlike game one the bats came to life early for both teams, as the Panthers tacked on two runs in the opening inning earning a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the first, the Moccasins took their turn scoring, leadoff batter Young reached on a single from a sacrifice fly from
Taylor Thomas to make it 2-1 after one complete inning.
In the bottom of the second, shortstop
Jadyn Bushnell led off with a single to get the Mocs on early. With two outs, Young hit an RBI triple to deep right-center field, scoring Bushnell to tie the game up at 2-2. FSC earned the lead on an error as Young scored to make it 3-2 after two innings of action.
Adelphi tied the game in the top of the fourth as the Panthers led off with a double and then moved around the bases scoring on an RBI single.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Mocs had runners at second and third ready to walk off, but a diving catch from the Panthers centerfield forced the game into extra innings. The score remained tied up at 3-3, until the top of the ninth, when Adelphi scored on a one-out back-to-back double to score three runs to break the tie. With two outs the Panthers tacked on an insurance run scoring on an RBI single to take a 7-3 lead to win the game.
From the plate, Young, Colgate, Bushnell, and
Skyler Ralstin all went 2-for-4 as Young had two runs and RBI followed by Bushnell with a run and
Kenleigh Smith and Thomas with an RBI.
Florida Southern returns to Sunshine State Conference action on Friday, March 22 as they open the series against the University of Tampa. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
