Day one of the A-SUN Conference Tournament has begun with two games: #3 seed Upstate vs. #6 seed Stetson, and #4 seed Lipscomb vs. #5 Jacksonville.
Upstate (32-17) and Stetson (26-24) played the first game to open the conference tournament.
Upstate head Coach Chris Hawkins sent sophomore Erin Hill to pitch while Stetson's head coach, Frank Griffin, sent A-SUN All-Freshman Team member Jaime Tino to pitch
The Spartans began the game on the scoreboard first in the first inning. Junior A-SUN All-Conference Second Team and A-SUN All-Academic Team member Ansley Gilstrap began with a lead-off walk. After senior A-SUN Player of the Year and A-SUN All-Conference First Team member Karla Beasley drew another Spartans walk, A-SUN All-Freshman Team member Logan Morris would clock a home run to left center to give the Spartans a 3-0 lead. This was Morris' sixth home run of the season. Tino was then pulled out after one inning, signaling Griffin to send junior Tori Perkins to the mound
The Hatters would soon cut the deficit to one run in the third inning. After a lead-off infield single off the bat of A-SUN All-Freshman Team member Kasey Fava, who then stole second, senior Maggie Fritts would hit a single of her own, sending Fava to third. Sophomore Molly McLaughlin would drive in Fava with an RBI ground out. Following another single from the bat of junior A-SUN All-Conference Second Team member Ashly Smith, A-SUN All-Freshman Team member Devin Lewis would bring in Fritts on a sacrifice fly. The Spartans would increase the lead after a solo shot off the bat of Morris again. This was her seventh home run of the season and her first multi-home run game of the season.
The Spartans would continue to add to the lead in the fourth inning. After three straight one-out singles from junior Megan Obier, senior Kendsey Chappelear and Gilstrap, junior Kristen Wright would send Obier in to score on a bases-loaded single while loading the bases again. Beasley would then hit a sacrifice fly, bringing in Chappelear. After a double steal from Gilstrap and Wright, Morris would send the duo home with a two-run single.
Before the bottom of the fifth, the Spartans sent junior A-SUN All-Conference Second Team member Christina Biggerstaff to the mound to pitch where she struck out three batters to start the inning. The Spartans would add one final run. Before the bottom of the fifth, another pitching change was made by the Hatters as senior Chelsea Hostetler came into pitch. After back-to-back singles from junior Kayla Hussey and Obier before a double steal occurred, Wright would send Hussey home off of a fielding error. The Hatters were unable to score after the Spartans final run scored. The Spartans would end up winning 9-2.
Hill would earn a no-decision after throwing three innings, giving up two runs on four hits while walking one batter and striking out one.
Biggerstaff would earn her 16th win of the season after throwing four scoreless innings, giving up one while walking two batters and striking out six.
Tino would be credited with her eighth loss of the season, putting her record at 9-8. Tino would throw one inning, giving up three runs on three hits while walking two and striking out one.
Morris would finish the game 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBIs.
Obier and Hussey would go 2-for-3 each. Gilstrap, Wright, Chappelear, junior A-SUN All-Conference First Team and A-SUN All-Academic Team member Brittany Case and freshman Hannah Davis had one hit each.
With the loss, the Hatters will play in the losers bracket. The Spartans will now face FGCU (37-15).
In the next game, Jacksonville (27-27) played Lipscomb (32-16).
For JU, head coach Erica Ayers would send sophomore Alyssa Bilodeau to the mound while head coach Kristin Ryman sent junior A-SUN All-Academic Team member Mandy Jordan to counter.
The Dolphins would get on the scoreboard first in the second inning. Senior Jordan Daniels would begin with a lead-off walk. After sophomore Makenzie Buss reached first on a fielding error, both would perform a double steal before Daniels scored the first run.
In the fourth inning, the Dolphins would add to their 1-0 lead. After Buss drew a two-out walk before stealing second, senior Kristen Griffith would follow with a walk of her own bringing up freshman Serena Quinata. Quinata would clock a three-run shot to left, giving the Dolphins a 4-0 lead. This was the signal for Ryman pulled Jordan and sent senior Chloe Yeager to pitch the fifth inning.
Meanwhile, Ayers continued strongly on the mound with a majority of her outs being ground outs.
In the fifth inning, the Dolphins would add another run on the scoreboard. After senior A-SUN All-Conference First Team and A-SUN All-Academic Team member Heather Roberts hit a one out single, A-SUN All-Freshman Team member Hannah Roberts would send her older sister to score to make it 5-0 JU.
Although having the Bisons draw two walks and hit a couple of singles, Ayers seemed unfazed after getting out of the fifth inning and sixth inning.
In the seventh inning, the Dolphins would add two final runs to the scoreboard. Senior A-SUN All-Academic Team member Danielle Baker would begin with a lead-off single. After He. Roberts drew a walk, senior Madison Ragan would drive in Baker with an RBI double. Daniels would then hit a sacrifice fly, driving in He. Roberts for the final run.
Although she gave up two singles, Ayers was able to shut the door on the Bison and get the Dolphins a 7-0 win. Ayers would get her 16th win of the season after throwing a four-hit shutout while walking two and striking out two.
"I'm excited for the kids. They put a solid softball game together; Alyssa had good stuff tonight. She got ahead in the count and really gave us a chance keeping [Lipscomb] to four hits. It was just an overall team effort," stated Ayers.
Jordan would earn her eighth loss, putting her record at 15-8. Jordan threw four innings, giving up four runs on one hit while walking six batters and striking out three.
"I give Jordan credit, she got us started scoring. She read the defense like we teach them to and she did a good job. It's always good to score first," added Ayers.
Baker, He. Roberts, Ha. Roberts, Ragan, Quinata and senior Kamille Larrabee had one hit each.
"Serena gave us some breathing room, but that doesn't happen if Makenzie Buss and Kristen Griffith don't also have great at-bats and draw those walks," credited Ayers. "To be patient like that and have those three great at bats was huge. We were excited for Serena, for the team, for the breathing room. With a four-run lead, one swing of the bat can't win it for the other team."
With the win, the Dolphins will face Kennesaw State (36-15) in the next round while Lipscomb joins Stetson in the losers bracket.
Up next, FGCU will face Upstate at 10 A.M. while Kennesaw plays JU at 12:30 P.M.
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