MELBOURNE, Fla. – For the first time this season, the Embry-Riddle softball team needed extra innings to put away the opposition as the Eagles (22-10, 14-6 Sunshine State Conference) defeated Florida Tech (30-18, 13-13 SSC) 7-6 in a nine-inning affair after dropping game one 5-3. Embry-Riddle recorded the bulk of its scoring in the latter stages of each game of the doubleheader, tallying six of its 10 runs in the seventh inning or later.
Mahaliyah Sandridge provided the spark on offense, going a combined 5-for-9 with three runs and two RBI on the day.
GAME 1 | No. 18 Embry-Riddle - 3, Florida Tech - 5
Embry-Riddle got roughed up in the first inning after allowing Florida Tech to score four times in the frame on three hits and two hit batters. The Panthers then tacked on another run in the third from a sacrifice fly to push the deficit to 5-0.
The Eagles broke into the scoring column in the fourth when they began the inning with three-straight hits.
Kelsey Kressler singled over the first baseman's head out into right to bring
Karina Ortiz-Munoz in.
Starting pitcher
Kelsi Collins was dialed in from the fourth inning on, limiting Florida Tech to just one hit and no runs to give the Embry-Riddle offense a chance at a comeback.
It wasn't until the top of the seventh when the Eagles threatened. One-out base knocks from
Lia Johnson and
Maggie Scott allowed Ortiz-Munoz to plate a pair of runners with her two-RBI double to right center. Unfortunately, Embry-Riddle couldn't fight out of the four-run hole and fell 5-3.
Johnson and Ortiz-Munoz both went 2-for-4 at the dish with a run while Ortiz-Munoz recorded two RBI from her two doubles.
Collins (14-5) allowed five earned runs on seven hits over six innings of pitching in the loss. She also accumulated three strikeouts.
GAME 2 | No. 18 Embry-Riddle - 7, Florida Tech – 6 (9 Inn.)
The Eagles got to work right away by taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Sandridge led things off with a double and came home on
ReAnne Drayton's single to right.
Florida Tech then tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when a Panther baserunner scored on a throw-down to third that escaped into left field.
Sandridge continued to produce at the dish, this time with a two-out bases-loaded double in the fourth to push
Kelsey Kressler and Ortiz-Munoz to the plate, allowing Embry-Riddle to retake the lead. However, the Panthers cut the Eagles' advantage in half with a run in the next half inning.
Embry-Riddle used small-ball play to add some insurance runs in the seventh. Back-to-back bunt singles from Scott and Drayton gave
Savannah Brockenbrough and Sandridge enough time to score. Later in the frame, Scott rushed toward home on a groundball to the shortstop. The senior dove head first and, according to the umpire, avoided the tag but also missed home plate. After a few seconds of confusion, Scott quickly stepped on the base and was ruled safe to move the lead to 6-2.
Things fell apart in the bottom of the seventh, though. Florida Tech used three hits, one walk, and one hit batter to send the contest into extra innings at 6-6.
After a scoreless eighth, Sandridge used her fourth hit of the game to get on base as the leadoff batter in the ninth. Two ground balls pushed her to third, setting up an RBI base hit from Drayton in what would turn out to be the game-winning run.
The Panthers threatened in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded and two outs, but Collins induced a fly out to end the game.
Sandridge was nearly unstoppable in the batter's box as she became the first Eagle of the season, and seventh all-time, to record four hits along with three runs and two RBI. Drayton picked up three hits in four at-bats with three RBI as well.
Mallory Kinahan received a no-decision after going 6.2 innings. She allowed six runs, five of which were earned, on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts.
Collins entered the game in the seventh inning in relief of Kinahan. She picked up her 15th win after throwing 2.1 shutout innings.
The three-game series concludes tomorrow with a single contest beginning at 2 p.m.
