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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

O'Sullivan_030423_IMG_6279
Maggie Allen
8
Winner Tampa UT 10-0, 5-0 SSC
3
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 10-9, 2-3 SSC
Winner
Tampa UT
10-0, 5-0 SSC
8
Final
3
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB
10-9, 2-3 SSC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Tampa UT 0 2 1 2 2 1 0 8 11 1
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 6 1

W: M. Feldman (4-0) L: Morse, Shelby (2-7)

11
Winner Tampa UT 11-0
5
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 10-10
Winner
Tampa UT
11-0
11
Final
5
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB
10-10
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Tampa UT 3 2 0 3 0 3 0 11 13 0
Embry-Riddle (Fla.) ERAUSB 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 5 15 5

W: M. Galhouse (5-0) L: Kinahan, Mallory (6-3)

Game Recap: Softball | | Kyrin Mayfield | @k_mayfield97

Season-High 15 Hits Not Enough For Softball to Avoid Sweep by No. 3 Spartans

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Even though the Embry-Riddle softball team was unable to secure a win on Saturday against No. 3 Tampa, losing both games of the double header by scores of 8-3 and 11-5, there were many positives to take away. 

For starters, the Eagles (10-10, 2-4 Sunshine State Conference) tagged the Spartans (11-0, 6-0 SSC) for more runs in a game than any previous opponent in 2023. ERAU also outhit Tampa in game two 15-13. Most importantly, the team was resilient. Despite large deficits in both contests, the Eagles continued to fight. Down 8-1 in the bottom of the seventh in game one, Embry-Riddle battled to score two more runs, largely thanks to a Kelsey Kressler two-RBI triple. 

Then in game two, the Blue and Gold needed to score in the sixth to avoid being run-ruled, and avoid it they did. Three singles from Kressler, Delaney Morgan and Katriana Bain gave the Eagles exactly what they needed. The bout carried on in the seventh as ERAU was behind 11-4. Base knocks by Mia Macchia, Lauren Latoria, Kressler, and Raissa Bianco scored another Eagle and loaded the bases. 


GAME 1 | No. 3 Tampa - 8, Embry-Riddle - 3

After getting shut out in game one of the series on Friday, the Eagles were determined to get on the scoreboard against the Spartans, a team that possessed the lowest ERA and WHIP in the NCAA II. Mahaliyah Sandridge reached third following a walk, stolen base and a groundout. Karina Ortiz-Munoz then slapped a pitch to the shortstop who fired the ball home in an attempt to prevent Sandridge from scoring, but the junior was too quick as she slid in ahead of the throw for the opening run.

It was just the second time this season Tampa trailed in a game, and unfortunately, the Eagles' lead didn't last long. It was all Spartans from there on out. Tampa scored in each of the following five frames to put ERAU behind 8-1. 

Embry-Riddle attempted to rally in the seventh after Kerry O'Sullivan reached on a mishandled ground ball from the second baseman and Serenity Jaenichen singled to right. Kressler stepped in and mashed a pitch to the fence in right field. She sped all the way to third for her first triple of the season and fourth of her career, tied for the sixth-most in program history. Sadly, that was as far as the rally would go. 

Jaenichen came off the bench and had more success at the plate than any other Eagle. She went 2-for-2 with a run, which were her first hits of the season and first multi-hit performance of her career. 

Shelby Morse (2-7) started in the circle and was slapped with the loss after allowing six runs, five of which were earned, off of seven hits and two walks. Ava Domenici took over in the fifth and gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks. 


GAME 2 | No. 3 Tampa - 11, Embry-Riddle - 5

Riding the momentum from game one, Jaenichen earned her second start of the season in game two while the freshman O'Sullivan received her first insertion into the starting lineup. 

Tampa had the hot bats to start, producing five runs in the first two innings, although they were all unearned due to a pair of fielding errors. ERAU had a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the first following one-out base hits from Macchia and Latoria, but the Eagles then grounded out twice.

Embry-Riddle got on the board in the third. Back-to-back singles from O'Sullivan and Sandridge had runners on the corners. Macchia was able to put a ball in play, which gave O'Sullivan the opportunity to touch home plate. 

With the score 5-1 Tampa, the Spartans wanted more separation and used two over-the-fence blasts in the fourth to increase their run total up to eight. 

Tampa eyed a ninth run in the fifth after a one-out triple, but the next batter sent a shallow liner that Macchia barely caught inches from the grass. Sandridge threw to third to tag the runner out, but sent a wild toss past the baseman. Bianco caught up to the ball and rifled it home in time for Isabelle Bonn to tag out the runner trying to score.

The Eagles got a pair of runs back in the fifth. Bonn singled to left and later scored on a double from Sandridge, her 20th-career two-bagger which is tied for the seventh most by an Eagle in a career. Macchia followed that up with a hit to the first baseman she was able to beat out because nobody was covering the bag, and Sandridge easily came home to score, which made it an 8-3 contest. 

The Spartans desired to end the game early in the sixth, adding another three runs to their total, but Embry-Riddle wasn't done fighting. Kressler led off the bottom half of the inning with a single out to right, and she later scored when Morgan smacked a ball to center, which brought the deficit to seven runs and allowed the game to continue into the seventh inning. 

Jaenichen and Sandridge came up huge in the field in the seventh. Jaenichen made a diving stop at second to rob the Spartans of a hit. Soon after, Sandridge fielded a grounder with a runner on third and used a strong throw home to toss out the Spartan attempting to score, which kept the run total at 11-4 in favor of Tampa.

The Eagles made the Spartans a little uncomfortable in the bottom of the seventh. Macchia, Latoria and Kressler singled to load the bases for Bianco, who found a gap on the left side of the infield to score Macchia. However, that was the only run ERAU could manufacture. 

Ten different Eagles recorded a hit in the game. Macchia went 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs while Sandridge (2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI), Latoria (2-for-3) and Kressler (2-for-3, 1 R) each came away with multi-hit efforts. The latter two also extended their hit streaks to five games. The team's 15 total hits was a season-high.

Mallory Kinahan (6-3) gave up eight runs, though only three were earned, over 3.2 innings on eight hits, one walk, and a strikeout. Ava Domenici reappeared in game two, lasting for 2.1 innings and allowing three runs off of four hits and a walk. Emma Wood also saw action within the circle during the entire seventh inning. She allowed one hit and one walk. 

Head Coach Kelsi Dunne Diaz wanted to challenge her team with tough opponents early on in the season, and that's exactly what Embry-Riddle received. Twelve of the 20 games played so far were against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the national poll at the time. Now, the Eagles can move forward and use what they learned as the challenging part of the schedule is complete, starting with home games against Winona State (4:30 p.m.) and Alderson Broaddus (7:00 p.m.) on March 8.
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