Titusville, FL - The Bloomfield College softball team started their 2015 season on the right foot with a sweep of Concordia University of Illinois on opening day at the Cocoa Beach Spring Training Tournament.
The Bears won game one, 2-0 behind a one-hitter by
Kirsten Wilson and hung on for a 7-6 win in game two.
The story of game one was Wilson, who was as dominant in the circle as she was as a freshman. Wilson (1-0) carried a no-hitter into the seventh as she was protecting a 2-0 lead. She struck out the leadoff batter of the frame and retired the next hitter on a groundout to short.
However, with one out to go for a no-hitter, Michelle Alexander hit a bloop single to right center to break up Wilson's bid for her second career no-hitter. With the tying run at bat however, Wilson got the final out on a groundout to
Aubrey Orr at third.
Bloomfield gave Wilson all the support she needed with a rally in the fourth inning.
Greta Coleman singled and
Melissa Yepez reached on an error to put runners at first and second. Orr then followed with a single to load the bases with one out. Freshman
Bayley Legarreta then came through in the clutch with her first collegiate hit, a single to right field to knock home Coleman and Yepez for the 2-0 lead.
Legarreta finished the game 2-3 with two RBIs and had the only multi-hit game for Bloomfield. She also threw out both runners who attempted to steal on her during the game.
Wilson went the distance, striking out eight along the way.
In game two, the Bears bats were more aggressive as they opened a 4-0 lead on the top of the first inning.
Janese Timmons started the rally with a one-out single.
Melissa Yepez and Wilson followed with walks and Legarreta came through in the clutch again with her second two-run single of the game. Orr then double to right center to knock home Legarreta and
Shannon Brennan delivered Orr with a successful suicide squeeze.
Concordia answered with a run on a groundout in the bottom of the first against sophomore lefty
Stephanie Miller, but the Bears got the run back in the top of the second.
Lauren Bueno led off the inning with a walk and Coleman doubled to left center to put runners at second and third. a pop out and unsuccessful squeeze play gave Concordia two quick outs, but Wilson came through with a two-out single to move BC's lead to 5-1.
Concordia touched Miller for a run in the third, but Bloomfield opened a 7-2 lead in the fifth.
Wilson started the rally with a one-out walk and
Angela Hauser was brought in to pinch run. Hauser advanced from first to third when the catcher's throw sailed into centerfield on a stolen base attempt and she came in to score on another double by Orr. On the play, Concordia overthrew the cutoff and Orr came all the way around to score what would be the winning run.
Concordia rallied in the fifth against Miller with five straight one-out hits to make the score 7-6.
With the tying run on third with one out, Miller induced a comebacker and popup to Orr at third to get out of the jam. After Miller (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth, head coach
Rocco Constantino brought on Wilson to nail down the win.
Wilson allowed a leadoff walk, however on the first pitch to the next batter, that runner was called out for leaving first base too early. The play turned out to be huge as Jenni Jensen followed with a double for Concordia and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
However, Wilson recorded a strikeout and pop out to Yepez in center to nail down the thrilling win.
The Bears knocked 10 hits, with a 3 for 3 performance by Wilson leading the way.
Legarreta and Orr had two hits each as well. Orr was terrific defensively all day, as the sophomore third baseman made numerous spectacular plays and finished the doubleheader with six assists and three putouts in the doubleheader.
Bloomfield is back in action tomorrow morning when they take on Penn State-Hazleton in a doubleheader starting at 9am.
Follow the action live on Twitter (@BC_Bears_SB) as media representative
Veronica Cobos provides updates and entertaining commentary.
