The #20 SCF softball team (35-11, 10-2 Suncoast) pulled away with the overall series against Hillsborough (13-21, 3-9 Suncoast) winning 8-4 in game one and 11-5 in game two. With the wins, the Manatees are not only 27-7 against the Hawks, but have complete their first four game Suncoast sweep.
"HCC has got a lot of talent and really competed at the plate," said head coach Mandy Schuerman. "We knew were in for a battle. We were able to bounce quickly when things didn't go our way and capitalized when they did."
Game One:
For game one, Schuerman sent freshman Kailey Christian to the mound while HCC head coach Elizabeth Holloman sent freshman Landry Newgent.
It didn't take long for the Manatees to get on the board first. Beginning with a one-out double by sophomore Megan Seeds and fellow classmate Cheyenne Nunez reaching first on an HCC fielding error and stealing her 29th stolen base of the season, sophomore Haley McFadden would draw a walk to load the bases for freshman Sabrina Long. With a 2-2 count, Long would hit a sacrifice fly and send Seeds home. Soon, sophomore Kyria Holcomb would hit a single and send Nunez home to make it 2-0 SCF. After Christian was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, freshman Madelyn Graham, who returned to the lineup after missing five straight games due to a concussion, would hit a bases loaded two-RBI single and send McFadden and Holcomb home to make it 4-0 SCF.
In the bottom of the third, the Hawks would return the favor with four runs of their own from a sacrifice fly by sophomore Dominique Mannerino and a three run shot by sophomore Aliyah Carter. This was Carter's ninth home run of the season.
The score remained at 4-4 for the next two innings until the Manatees decided to make it stop. McFadden would leadoff by reaching first on a fielding error before sophomore Alexis Bridges, who also returned from injury, came in to pinch run. After Long hit a single, Holcomb would reach on fielder's choice before Christian hit a single to load the bases for Graham. With an 0-2 count, the Bartow native would send the ball to right for a grand slam. This was Graham's fourth home run of the season.
In the bottom of the seventh, Christian put herself in a fix with the bases loaded, but the product of Lakewood Ranch kept her composure and was able to get out of the fix and get the win for SCF.
Christian would earn her 18th win of the season after throwing her 14th complete game giving up all four runs (all unearned) on seven hits while walking three and striking out two. Christian is now at 18-2 on the year. Christian was also 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Newgent would be credited with her 13th loss of the season, putting her at 7-13 on the season after throwing a complete game, giving up all eight runs (three earned) on 11 hits while walking two batters and striking out two.
Seeds and Graham would be the only two Manatees with a multi-hit game. Seeds would finish 3-for-4 with a run scored while Graham finished 2-for-3 with six RBI.
Sophomore Juliana Uribe would be the only Hawk in game with a multi-hit game as she finished 2-for-4 with a run scored while Carter would be the only Hawk with a multi-RBI game after going 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Game Two:
For game two, Schuerman would send freshman Ashlee Zientek to the mound while Holloman sent freshman Tatiana Watts to counter.
The Hawks would start off the game on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first after a home run by sophomore Daniela Bautista, her first of the season, but the Manatees would answer back at the top of the second. After Graham and Holcomb drew back-to-back walks, Christian would send a single to center and send Graham home to tie the game at 1-1. After sophomore Sydney Parks drew a sacrifice bunt, sophomore Madison Yoder would groundout to second to send Holcomb home to make it 2-1 SCF.
At the top of the third, the Manatees decided to extend their lead even further. Beginning with a Nunez leadoff single before moving to second on a Seeds sac bunt and Long drawing a walk, Graham had no trouble send Nunez home with a single. Holcomb would follow with an RBI single of her own to make it 4-1 SCF. Christian would then reach on an error while Graham scored before Parks hit a single to send Christian home to make it 6-1 SCF.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Hawks would drive in two more runs after an RBI singles by sophomore Kally Martin and Mannerino, but the Manatees would answer back at the top of the fifth with a little power from Holcomb as she hit a solo shot to center to make it 7-3 SCF. This was Holcomb's first home run of the season. This signaled the end for Watts as she was pulled out and Newgent would come in for relief.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Hawks would cut the deficit to three after an RBI single by sophomore Jordyn Frank. This signaled the end for Zientek in the game as Schuerman would send freshman Madi LoCastro to finish the fifth inning in success.
At the top of the sixth, the Manatees would reincrease their lead. After loading the bases Nunez drew a one out walk, Seeds hitting a single and Long being hit by a pitch, Graham would get hit by a pitch and send Nunez home to make it 8-3 SCF. Holcomb would then follow with a bases-loaded double and send Seeds and Long home before Christian hit a sac fly to send Graham home to make it 11-4 SCF.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Hawks would add one more run to the scoreboard with an RBI groundout by freshman Jessica Nunez, but it was all the Hawks could produce as the Manatees pulled away for the win.
Zientek would earn her seventh win of the season after throwing 4.1 innings giving up four runs on six hits while walking five and striking out two. Zientek is now at 7-3 on the year.
LoCastro gave up one run on five hits while walking one and striking out four in 2.2 innings.
Watts would earn her ninth loss of the season after giving up seven runs (five earned) on nine hits while walking three batters in 4.2 innings. Watts is now at 6-9 on the season.
Newgent gave up four runs on two hits while walking two.
Four Manatees had a multi-hit game in game two with Holcomb leading the way going 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBI while Nunez (two runs), Christian (two RBI and a stolen base) and Parks (one RBI) went 2-for-3 each. Holcomb finished 4-for-7 with a home run and five RBI.
Graham finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and three runs scored and 3-for-5 with the grand slam and series-high eight RBI.
"I am very proud of everyone for stepping up. Maddy G (Graham) had a great night at the plate as well as some of the others. As long as we focus on the strike zone, I see us having continued success."
Four Hawks also had a multi-hit game with Martin going 3-for-3 with an RBI while Uribe (2-for-5), Bautista (2-for-4, two runs scored and one RBI) and Mannerino (2-for-5, one RBI) each had two hits.
Other Suncoast Scores:
#1 FSW (44-1, 11-1 Suncoast) swept St. Pete College (23-18, 5-7 Suncoast) 9-0 via mercy in game one and 7-0 in game two while Polk State (17-24, 4-8 Suncoast) split with South Florida State (23-17, 3-9 Suncoast) with SFSC winning 4-3 in game one before Polk State also winning 4-3 in game two.
Suncoast Standings:
1. #1 FSW (44-1, 11-1 Suncoast)
2. #20 SCF (35-11, 10-2 Suncoast)
3. SPC (23-18, 5-7 Suncoast)
4. Polk State (17-24, 4-8 Suncoast)
5. South Florida State (23-17, 3-9 Suncoast)
6. HCC (13-21, 3-9 Suncoast)
Up Next:
The Manatees return home for their final two home series doubleheaders as they face SFSC on Thursday, April 4 before wrapping up against SPC on Tuesday, April 9. Both games are scheduled at 5 and 7 pm.
"They (SFSC) battled with us the first time around, I don't expect Thursday to be any different. That's the fun in this game, you have to compete every pitch if you want to win."
The doubleheader against SPC will be dubbed as sophomore night. The ceremony will start 30 minutes before game time to honor Nunez, Seeds, Parks, McFadden, Holcomb, Madison Yoder and Nicci Palumbo.
Lindsey Hall, who did not play all season due to injury, will also be recognized before the game.
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