LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College softball team hosted Lynn University on Friday evening for the opening game of the Sunshine State Conference series. The Moccasins hosted the game at Chris Bellotto Field but were considered the visiting team, as the contest was supposed to be played in Boca Raton, but due to construction on the Fighting Knights field, FSC was the host.
The Moccasins (13-27, 5-24 SSC) outhit the Fighting Knights (12-30, 3-19) 10-to-8, but five errors allowed Lynn to capture the series opener win. From the plate, FSC was led by
Taylor Thomas going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while designated player
Macayla Brady went 2-for-4. For Lynn, Morgan Simpson and Kyra Sunga both went 2-for-4 and Ariana Rego and Monique Poitevin went 2-for-3 to make up all of the hits for Lynn.
Leadoff batter
Gabby Young opened the game with a leadoff single to second base, but three consecutive outs left the top of the first inning scoreless. Brady led off the following inning with a double to right center field but a double play for the Fighting Knights forced the outs and the game headed into the third inning with nothing coming across home plate.
The Mocs continued to use the lead-off spot to their advantage as shortstop
Jadyn Bushnell singled to open the top of the first but was left stranded. In the bottom of the third, Lynn finally found their momentum being the home team on the scoreboard attacking first with a leadoff single that would score on an FSC error to put the first run on the board and take a 1-0 lead.
Lynn continued to add to its 1-0 lead, scoring again in the bottom of the fourth from an error to make it 2-0.
Florida Southern continued the hot batting from the leadoff spot as
Kate Mikle singled through the left side to get on base. A pitching change from Lynn forced Bushnell
to walk and Mikle advanced into scoring position with no outs. Back-to-back outs for the Fight Knights left runners on the corners giving the Mocs an opportunity. FSC had their first run of the game as
Kiki Morris hit an RBI double to center field to score Bushnell and take a 2-1 lead. Thomas up next hit a solo shot to center field scoring both Young and Morris and taking a 3-2.
Once again, the Mocs led off with a single as Brady singled down the right-field line.
Morgan Roden came in pinch hit for Brady and would move around the bases scoring on the next at-bat from an RBI double to left field from
Shelbie Valencia and increasing the lead to 4-2.
With a 4-2 lead, Lynn had their work cut out for them but they went to battle reaching on back-to-back Florida Southern errors. The Fighting Knights loaded the bases with no outs on a single and hit by pitch to get into scoring position. Pitching change for the Mocs allowed a game-tying single and error to make it 4-4 and it was a new ball game. With a tie game and two outs, Lynn continued to rally, scoring two more on RBI singles to take a two-run lead, 6-4.
In the top of the seventh, the Mocs put runners on the corner from a Thomas single, and a fielder's choice to try and come back in the final inning, but Lynn's pitcher threw a strikeout to get the final out and win game one with a 6-4 final.
Florida Southern and Lynn return to Chris Bellotto Field tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader slated to begin at 1 p.m.
