COLUMBUS, Ga. — Florida Southern faced a challenging opening day at the tournament, first stumbling against Auburn Montgomery, dropping a 10-3 decision, before bouncing back to claim victory over Tuskegee University with a 5-2 win.
The highlight of the day from the Moccasins came from a pair of impressive freshman debuts as
Hannah Lewis and
Gigi Polanco each launched their first collegiate home runs, providing a glimpse of the power and promise fueling the start of the season.
AUBURN MONTGOMERY 10, FLORIDA SOUTHERN 3
In the clash against Auburn Montgomery (3-0), Florida Southern College (0-1) fought back with two runs in the third inning, but the Warhawks sealed their win with a decisive five-run second inning, racking 16 hits overall. Auburn Montgomery took an early lead in the first inning with two runs driven in by Kelsey Rhine and Kelsey Sevcik. Florida Southern's Polanco singled and swiped second, but the Moccasins couldn't convert, finishing the inning down 2-0.
The Warhawks widened the gap in the second inning, scoring five more runs. Kelsey Sevcik hit a two-run single, followed by a two-run double from Caleigh Hollon, pushing the score to 7-0. Florida Southern remained hit less in their half, the score holding steady. In the third, the Moccasins cut into the lead.
Ella Torres doubled to bring in
Emma Lucchesi, who had singled, and Polanco, who had drawn a walk, changing the scoreboard to 7-2. Florida Southern tacked on another in the fourth.
Keira Morris singled and later crossed home on an error, pulling the Mocs to 8-3 after Auburn Montgomery added a solo homer by Kelsey Rhine.
In the sixth inning, the Moccasins had a chance with pinch hitter
Emily Borresen walking and advancing to third on a wild pitch. However, the rally fell short, leaving three runners stranded. Auburn Montgomery's early surge held as they secured the 10-3 win over the Mocs.
Polanco contributed with a hit, a run, two walks, and a stolen base. Torres delivered a crucial double, driving in a run and reaching base on a walk.
Kara Zweig added two hits in three at-bats, offering steady support. Morris registered a hit and a run, adding to the team's offensive efforts.
Des Aitken pitched 4 innings, allowing 9 hits and 5 runs, with 1 strikeout and 1 walk, ending with a WHIP of 2.50 and a home run allowed.
Natalie Snowden appeared for 0 2/3 innings, giving up 6 hits and 5 earned runs with 1 strikeout and a WHIP of 30.00, also allowing a double and a wild pitch.
Amanda Lieberman pitched 2 1/3 innings, surrendering only 1 hit with no runs, maintaining a WHIP of 0.48, and securing 4 fly ball outs.
Kelsey Rhine led the Warhawks with an impressive outing, tallying three hits, including a home run, and driving in three runs while scoring three times. Caleb Baynes made a notable contribution with three stolen bases and three runs, showcasing his speed. Kelsey Sevcik stood out with four hits and four RBIs, playing a pivotal role in the Warhawks' offensive success.
FLORIDA SOUTHERN 5, TUSKEGEE 2
In their next match against Tuskegee University (1-1), Florida Southern (1-1) leveraged two home runs and capitalized on four Tigers errors to clinch the win. The Mocs jumped ahead in the second inning when
Nei Nei De Jesus advanced to third on a wild pitch, setting up Hanna Lewis, who blasted a two-run homer to center field, bringing in De Jesus. Despite the Tigers' two-run response in the bottom of the inning, the match was tied 2-2 after the second.
In the fifth inning, Polanco smashed a solo home run to center field, putting Florida Southern back in the lead. An error allowed
Izzy Barrios to reach base, and another miscue on a play involving
Alissa Kessler allowed Barrios to score an unearned run, extending the lead to 4-2 at the end of the fifth.
Shelby Savitt reached base on an error in the sixth inning and later scored on Borresen's single, adding another unearned run for the Moccasins. This pushed their lead to 5-2 after six innings.
The Tigers couldn't rally in the seventh, as the Mocs held firm defensively. The game wrapped up with Florida Southern securing a 5-2 triumph. Polanco not only homered but also recorded an RBI and contributed defensively with two assists. Torres pitched a complete game, delivering seven innings with six strikeouts. Lewis added two RBIs and scored a run, all thanks to her home run. Borresen chipped in with two hits and an RBI, bolstering the team's offensive push.
Torres allowed two earned runs over seven innings, facing 32 batters, giving up seven hits, and issuing two walks, while striking out six. With 75 strikes out of 119 pitches, Torres showcased command throughout the game, maintaining a WHIP of 1.29. Despite allowing four doubles, Torres minimized the damage by inducing seven flyouts and eight groundouts.
Shan McNair led the Tigers with an impressive performance, notching two doubles and one RBI, walking once and scoring a run, finishing with an OPS of 3.000. Kenya Tatum also shined by going 2-for-4 with a double, maintaining an OPS of 1.250. In the field, Ava Mearideth stood out with four assists, providing strong defense at third base.
Next up, Florida Southern will continue action in the Red-White-Blue Classic and take on Wingate University on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. in Columbus, Georgia.
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