SCF Finishes 2-2 at Seminole Tournament

The SCF softball team (15-3) finished at even in the Seminole Tournament at Boombah Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, Florida. The Manatees fell 4-3 to Tallahassee Community College (TCC) and 4-2 to St. Johns River State on day one before defeating Abraham Baldwin 10-5 and Chattanooga State Community College 8-4 on day two. With the losses, the Manatees are now 4-5 against the Eagles and 8-7 against the Vikings, while with the wins they are 2-0 against the Stallions and now 1-0 against the Tigers. In addition to the two wins against Abraham Baldwin and Chattanooga State, SCF head coach Mandy Schuerman earned her 146th and 147th career wins.

Games One and Two:
For the first game, freshman Ashley Zientek took the mound against TCC where she was credited with her second loss of the season putting her at 4-2. Zientek threw a complete game, giving up all four runs (all unearned) on six hits with four strikeouts.

For TCC, freshman Sammie Massaro earned her second win of the season after throwing 4.1 innings and giving up all three runs on seven hits while walking two batters. Massaro is now at 2-4 for her record.

Sophomore Sidney Mathis earned her first save of the season after 2.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

Offensively, Freshman Madi LoCastro was 3-for-4 with an RBI while classmates Makayla Benavidez, Kailey Christian and Lauren Bostwick went 2-for-3 each. Benavidez add two runs scored and a stolen base, while Christian added an RBI, a run scored and Bostwick added two stolen bases.

TCC's offense was led by freshman Katelyn Hobbs who went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI while fellow freshman River Glenn went 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.

For game two, LoCastro was credited with her first loss of the season, putting her at 2-1 on the year. LoCastro would throw five innings, giving up three runs on five hits with two strikeouts while going 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Freshman Kailey Christian threw two scoreless innings of relief, giving up one run on one hit with two walks and five strikeouts.

Freshman Kendall Moody earned her second win of the season as she moves to 2-1 after throwing four innings. Moody gave up one run on three hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Freshman Maddie Tomas gave up one run on five hits with one walk in three innings.

Along with LoCastro, freshman Madelyn Graham was also 2-for-3 with an RBI. Meanwhile sophomore Kyria Holcomb went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases.

Freshman Taylor Finney was the only Viking with a multi-hit game as she finished 2-for-3 with a run.

Game Three:
For game three, Schuerman sent LoCastro back to the mound while ABAC head coach Jennifer Martinez sent freshman Taylor Layfield to counter.

It didn't take long for the Manatees to get on the board first after holding the Stallions scoreless in the top half of the first as they loaded the bases with a leadoff walk to Benavidez, sophomore Cheyenne Nunez getting hit by a pitch and Christian hitting an infield single. After LoCastro struck out and Holcomb reaching first on a fielder's choice, freshman Sabrina Long would send Nunez home with a bases-loaded single to make it 1-0 SCF. Sophomore Nicci Palumbo would then hit a bases-load two RBI single and send home Christian and Holcomb to make it 3-0 SCF.

At the top of the second, the Stallions reached got on the board from a two-run shot off the bat of freshman Braxton Hill to cut the deficit to 3-2 SCF, but the Manatees answered back and re-extended the lead. After Benavidez reached first on a fielding error and advanced to second on the same error before stealing third, Nunez would send her home on a hard ground ball while reaching first on a another Stallion fielding error while advancing to second on the same error. Christian would then send Nunez home with a single to make it 5-2 SCF.

LoCastro would be replaced by Zientek who got out of the top of the third seemingly unfazed despite giving up a lead-off single. The Manatees would increase their lead a little higher in the bottom half of the third. Beginning with a one-out single from Palumbo and Zientek walk before both moving to scoring position from a Bostwick groundout, Benavidez would send them home with a two RBI single to make it 7-2 SCF before advancing to second on a fielding error. After Benavidez stole third, Nunez would send her home before stealing second and scoring on a Christian RBI single to make it 9-2 SCF.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Stallions were able to score in the fifth from an RBI double off the bat of sophomore Sutton Bridges and in the sixth from a hard ground ball from sophomore Aspen Barker, but the Manatees managed to add one more run to the mix in the bottom of the sixth from an RBI single off the bat of Long. At the the top of the seventh, the Stallions their final run off of an RBI single by sophomore Jamilah Johnson, but that was all they could pull as SCF pulled away with the win.

LoCastro would earn a no-decision after throwing two innings and giving up two runs on two hits with two strikeouts.

Zientek would earn her fifth win, putting her at 5-2 on the year. Zientek would give up two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out five in five innings of relief.

Layfield would earn her second loss of the season, putting her at 2-2. Layfield threw five innings and gave up nine runs (seven earned) on 11 hits while walking three and striking out three.

Sophomore Samantha Davis came in relief and gave up one run on two hits with three strikeouts.

Five Manatees had a multi-hit game: Christian (3-for-3, two RBI, one run, one stolen base), Palumbo (3-for-4, two RBI, one run), Benavidez (2-for-3, two RBI, two runs, one walk, three stolen bases), Holcomb (2-for-4, two runs) and Long (2-for-3, two RBI, one walk).

Hill and Bridges were the only Stallions with a multi-hit game as they finished 2-for-3 each.

Game Four:
For game four, Schuerman sent Christian to the mound while Chattanooga State head coach Blythe Golden sent freshman Brooke Parrott to counter.

After a scoreless first, the Manatees would open up the scoreboard first. After sophomore Haley McFadden began with a lead-off double, Long would smack a triple to center and send McFadden home. Freshman Sydney Parks would then send Long home with a single to make it 2-0 SCF.

The score remained 2-0 SCF until the Tigers scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth from a home run off the bat of freshman Lauren Hamby, but a big sixth inning helped the Manatees even better. Beginning with a LoCastro leadoff double, a one out single from Long and a Bostwick walk to load the bases, Palumbo and Parks would draw back-to-back bases-loaded walks to make it 4-1 SCF. With the bases still loaded, Sophomore Megan Seeds would send Bostwick and Palumbo with a bases-loaded single to make it 6-1 before Nunez laid a bunt single to send Parks home to make it 7-1 SCF. Seeds would then score on a fielding error to make it 8-1 SCF.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers attempted to start a rally from a two-RBI double off the bat of sophomore Mary Kate Pritchett and an RBI single from sophomore Katie Cheeseman, but it wasn't enough as SCF pulled away with the win.

Christian would earn the win, putting her at 7-0 after throwing a complete game, giving up all four runs on four hits while walking three batters and striking out nine.

Parrott would be credited with the loss, putting her at 2-2. Parrott would throw 5.1 innings and give up seven runs on seven hits with five walks and five strikeouts.

Freshman Rilee King would give up one run on five hits while walking two and striking out one in 1.2 innings.

Long and Parks would finish with three hits each. Long added one RBI and two runs, while Parks added two RBI and a run.

Prichett was the only Tiger with a multi-RBI game as she finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Fun Fact (2012-present):
SCF is 39-4 overall against colleges that are not from Florida.

Up Next:
The Manatees return home as they welcome Oakland Community College (2-2) to the SCF Softball Complex on Monday, February 24 at 4 and 6 pm.