Softball splits on third gameday in Florida
JAN PHYL VILLAGE, Florida - The American International College softball team split a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 8, falling 5-0 to California University of Pennsylvania before eking out a 7-6 win against Chestnut Hill College.
FAST FACTS:
Game 1:
Final Score: California (PA) 5, AIC 0
Records: The Vulcans improve to 6-5 while the Yellow Jackets drop to 1-3
Pitching Decisions:
Win: Caleigh Rister (4-1)
Loss: Isabella Erti (1-1)
Game 2:
Final Score: AIC 7, Chestnut Hill 6
Records: The Yellow Jackets rise to 2-3, while the Griffins fall to 0-6
Pitching Decisions:
Win: Alexis Jimenez (1-0)
Loss: Lily Reid (0-3)
KEY STATS:
Game 1:
California (PA):
Charity Henderson: 1-for-3, one double, two RBI
Britney Wilson: 2-for-4, one double, two RBI
Caleigh Rister: 1-for-4, two runs; 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 6 K
AIC:
Trinadey Santiago: 1-for-3
Brianna Harzula: 1-for-2
Isabella Erti: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R (2 ER), 5 BB, 2 K
Riley Sullivan: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 K
Game 2:
Chestnut Hill:
Anastasia Watson: 1-for-3, one home run, three RBI
Kayla Rolon: 1-for-4, two RBI
Lily Reid: 7.0 IP, 9 H, 7 R (6 ER), 5 BB, 3 K
AIC:
Trinadey Santiago: 2-for-4, one home run, four RBI
Macy Ring: 1-for-3, one double, three RBI
Lilly Acampora: Two walks
Alexis Jimenez: 1-for-4, one run; 7.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R (3 ER), 3 BB, 5 K
GAME ONE:
- The Vulcans took advantage of a miscue to open the scoring in the second; Kaitlyn Achtermeier led off with a single, and then after an error and a walk, scored on a single by Shayna Postler. However, the three remaining runners were stranded.
- In the third, it was back-to-back walks that haunted AIC as Britney Wilson was able to double home Charity Henderson for a 2-0 edge.
- More mistakes hurt in the fourth, as Caleigh Rister drew a two-out walk and then Brooke Wilson reached on an error. Henderson roped a double to bring them both in, but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a triple.
- In the sixth, Brittany Wilson drove in the fifth and final run, as Rister singled and then was sacrificed over; Wilson singled to left to send her home and the Vulcans held from there for the win.
GAME TWO:
- AIC had a much faster start to the second game; Destiny McGrath led off with a walk, and swiped second. Two batters later, Trinadey Santiago slugged a two-run shot to left to put her team ahead.
- The Griffins had a home run of their own to respond with in the latter half; Madison Petroski led off with her own walk, swiped second, and then took third on an errant throw. Kayla Rolon hit a grounder toward the third base side, and the defense rushed to keep Petroski on her base, allowing Rolon to reach. Two batters later, Anastasia Watson rendered that effort moot by hitting a three-run shot to left to put the Griffins up 3-2.
- AIC retook the lead in the third inning as Alexis Jimenez helped her own effort with a leadoff single. Two batters later, Victoria Andrade walked, and Macy Ring drove them both home with a double to center field. Lilly Acampora walked to keep the threat going, but ultimately was stranded.
- Miscues hurt the Griffins in the fifth as Santiago reached on an error to lead off, and pinch-hitter Leah Twyman smacked a double to left. That set up Ring for a sacrifice fly to give AIC a 5-3 edge.
- The Yellow Jackets added two more in the sixth to extend the lead as Abigail Wells led off with a bunt single. McGrath then singled to center and Mackenzie Berman laid a bunt down that not only moved the runners, but allowed her to reach first. After a fielder's choice erased Wells, Santiago came back to the plate and shot a two-run single to left.
- The Griffins kept pressuring AIC's defense and it paid off as Skyler Cunningham reached on an error. She was lifted for Santina Arena, who advanced on another miscue and then stole third before being sacrificed home to cut the deficit to 7-4.
- The seventh inning could best be described as chaos. Needing three, Peyton Baldwin started the frame with a hard shot at third to reach. Taylor Carter than hit a slow hopper to second that she was able to beat out, but Baldwin, after rounding second, got caught watching the play, and Jaylyn Melendez alertly fired the ball to Ring, who tagged her for the first out. That made all the difference, as a pair of singles and a pair of errors made it 7-6 and put the tying run at third with two away; had that out not been made, the score would have been 7-7 with one out, but instead of being a sacrifice fly to win the game, Cunningham's lineout to McGrath sealed AIC's victory.
NEXT UP:
- AIC continues its Florida adventure with matches against Eckerd College and Southwest Minnesota State University at 2:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. respectively.