LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College softball team rallied to a doubleheader split on Saturday, falling to Florida Tech in game one 16-10 in nine innings before winning game two 2-1 in Sunshine State Conference on Chris Bellotto Field.
The Moccasins (2-11, 1-5 SSC) had several hot at-bats in game one with
Kate Mikle and
Alissa Kessler hitting the first home runs of the season for FSC. Mikle went 3-for-6 from the plate with three runners batted in and two scored, while
Kelsey Kadlub and
Shelbie Valencia both had 3 hits, one RBI, and a run scored.
Kelly Keating and
Gabby Young also had multiple hits, as Keating brought in three runners and Young scored twice.
In game two, the Mocs were led by
Jadyn Bushnell, going a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate with a double, RBI, and run scored. In the circle, senior
Kayla Hickey (1-0) captured her first win, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out five batters.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 10, FLORIDA TECH 16
Game one started hot and heavy with a 2-0 lead as Mikle led off with a homer over the left field fence. Kadlub doubled to left center field to get back in scoring position with two outs, Keating changed places with Kadlub for an RBI double to left field and made it 2-0 after one inning of play.
In the top of the third, Florida Tech tied the game on a two-run RBI single as they headed into the fourth inning all tied up. In the top of the fourth, a one-out triple gave the Panthers the momentum, scoring on an RBI double, and single for a 4-2 lead.
The score remained 4-2, until the bottom of the sixth where the Mocs bats came back to life all on a two-out rally. Young, Mikle,
Emma Lucchesi, Valencia, Kadlub, and Keating all single, scoring five runs to make it a 9-4 lead in favor of Florida Southern.
However, the Panthers rallied to tie the game as FSC and FT headed into extras. In the top of the ninth, Florida Tech broke the tie leading off with a single that scored to take the lead from an RBI double to make it 10-9 with no outs. The Panthers continued to add insurance runs to their lead adding 16 as they earned a large 16-9 lead.
Alissa Kessler stepped in to pinch hit to lead off the bottom of the ninth, hitting a solo shot over the left field fence and closing in 16-10. A one-out single to center field in her collegiate debut from
Shelby Savitt put a runner on, but was stranded as game one went to the Panthers, 16-10.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 2, FLORIDA TECH 1
Florida Tech scored first to take a 1-0 lead, but Bushnell put the Mocs on the board and tied the game with a one-out double to left field to get in scoring position. Bushnell moved 90 feet from home on a wild pitch and scored from a
Jenna Meder ground out to make it 1-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, FSC broke away leading off with a walk that moved pinch-runner
Izzy Barrios into scoring position with back-to-back sacrifice bunts. With Barrios at third, Bushnell stepped to the plate for an RBI double to left center field, scoring Barrios to take a 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth and sixth, Mikle, Lucchesi, and Bushnell all had singles but nothing came across home plate as the 2-1 lead was enough to capture the Mocs' first conference win.
Florida Southern returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 26 as they host Wilmington (Del.) for a midweek doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
