SCF Softball Splits First Two Days of Region 8 Tournament, Aims for District H

After several moments of heavy and light rain, the #20 SCF softball team (45-15) was put in a tough position as they fell 8-0 against #3 Chipola Colleg in the first game before making a comeback in the second game against Eastern Florida State for day one and day two of the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Tournament. The Manatees are now 0-7 against the Indians and 8-2 against the Titans.

Day One (May 2):
Before SCF played their game, #4 College of Central Florida (CCF) defeated EFSC 11-3 via mercy rule, thus sending them to the losers bracket for Saturday.

Moving on to SCF vs Chipola, Suncoast Head Coach of the Year Mandy Schuerman sent freshman All-Suncoast First Team and FCSAA All-State Second Team member Kailey Christian to the mound while Panhandle Head Coach of the Year Belinda Hendrix sent sophomore All-Panhandle First Team member Amy Woodham to counter.

The Indians would get on the board in the bottom of the first after a home run by All-Panhandle First Team member and Panhandle Conference Player of the Year sophomore Candela Figueroa. It was her 11th home run of the season. The Indians would add two more runs to the mix from a two-RBI double by freshman All-Panhandle First Team member Mikayla Lewin to make it 3-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Indians extended the lead with an RBI single by sophomore All-Panhandle First Team member Eila Infante to make it 4-0 Chipola.

In the bottom of the fifth, sophomore All-Panhandle Second Team member Sydney Mclain hit a two-RBI single to make it 6-0 Chipola before sealing the deal in the bottom of the sixth with a sacrifice fly by sophomore Panhandle Honorable mention Lauren Finch and freshman All-Panhandle First Team and FCSAA All-State First-team member Haley Sandridge scored on a wild pitch to end the game.

Woodham would earn her 22nd win of the year after throwing four scoreless innings while giving up three hits, walking one batter and striking out three. Woodham is now 22-1 on the year.

Freshman Panhandle Pitcher of the Year as well as a member of the All-Panhandle First Team member Brianna Bailey threw two scoreless innings of relief while giving up two hits, walking one batter and striking out one.

Christian would be dubbed with the loss after giving up seven runs on eight hits while walking four and striking out four. Christian was also 1-for-3 at the plate. The upcoming Delaware transfer is now 23-4 on the year.

Freshman Ashlee Zientek threw two-thirds of an inning and gave up one run on one hit.

Aside from Christian, SCF's other four hits came off of the bats of sophomore All-Suncoast Second Team members Haley McFadden and Kyria Holcomb and freshmen Sabrina 'Sas' Long and Madelyn Graham.

For Chipola, Sandridge and Infante had two hits each, while Lewin and Mclain had two RBI each.

As a result of the loss, SCF was sent to the losers bracket.

Other Day One Scores:
Following SCF's game, #1 FSW defeated #17 Seminole State College 6-1 before #4 College of Central Florida (CCF) defeated EFSC 11-3 via mercy rule in the 4 pm game

RV Indian River State defeated RV Gulf Coast State College 8-0 via mercy rule in the 7 pm game.

Day Two (May 3):
For day two, SCF would face EFSC in the first game of the losers bracket and play at 10 am.

Schuerman would send freshman All-Suncoast Second Team member Madi LoCastro to the mound while EFSC head coach Jim Beitia sent freshman All-Southern Conference First Team and FCSAA All-State Second Team member Katelyn Wilfert.

After the first two innings went scoreless, the Titans would get on the board first at the top of the third after an RBI single by sophomore Hannah Crumblish and a two-RBI double by freshman All-Southern Conference First Team member Madison Neuhaus.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Manatees were hiding some power that they kept to get on the board. After loading the bases off singles by McFadden, Holcomb and Christian, Graham would bring in SCF's first run with a sacrifice fly, sending freshman Alexis Bridges, who came in to pinch run for McFadden, home. The Manatees would then tie the game from a two-RBI double by LoCastro that sent Holcomb and Christian home.

At the top of the fifth, the Titans would regain the lead after an RBI single by All-Southern Conference and FCSAA All-State First Team member and Southern Conference Player of the Year Nikki Pennington. This signaled the end for LoCastro as Schuerman sent Christian to come in for relief while transitioning LoCastro from pitcher to designated player. Christian was able to get the final two outs of the top half.

Little did EFSC knew was that there was an unexpected rally coming from SCF in the bottom of the fifth, beginning with a leadoff single by sophomore All-Suncoast First Team and FCSAA All-State Second Team member Cheyenne Nunez. Two batters later and a Nunez stolen base, Long would send Nunez home with a single to the tie the game at 4-4 before advancing to second. After back-to-back singles by McFadden and Holcomb loaded the bases, Christian would get the Manatees their lead back with a bases loaded two-RBI double, sending Long and McFadden home to make it 6-4 SCF. Graham would then follow with an RBI single and send Holcomb home to make it 7-4 before Christian made it 8-4 SCF after scoring on a throwing error on the same play.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Manatees would tack on one more run as McFadden hit into a sacrifice fly that sent sophomore All-Suncoast First Team Megan Seeds home to make it 9-4 SCF.

At the top of the seventh with two outs, Pennington attempted to get the Titans a final breath of lifer as she hit her 11th home run of the year, but it was all that could be produced as Neuhaus would pop out for the final out and an SCF.

LoCastro would earn the win after throwing 4.1 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits with one strikeout while going 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Christian gave up one run on one hit with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings while going 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Wilfert would earn her 12th loss of the season, finishing her freshman campaign at 21-12. Wilfert gave up all nine run on 14 hits with one walk and one strikeout in six innings.

Aside from Christian, Four other Manatees had a multi-hit game: Nunez (2-for-4, one run and a stolen base), Long (3-for-4, one RBI and one run), McFadden (2-for-3, one RBI and one run) and Holcomb (2-for-4, two runs scored). Nunez's stolen base was her 38th this season and 61st in her career at SCF.

Graham finished 1-for-3 with two RBI. Graham was one of three with a multi-RBI game (Christian and LoCastro: two RBI each).

For EFSC, Pennington led the way batting 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI and finished her career with a career .399 batting average, 125 hits, 18 home runs and 104 RBI.

Crumblish also finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Neuhaus finished 1-for-3 with two RBI.

SCF would advance to the next round of the losers bracket.

With their second loss in the tournament, Eastern Florida State would be the first team eliminated from the FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Tournament and ended their season at 31-25.

Other Scores:
Following SCF's game, #17 Seminole State College (45-15) defeated RV Gulf Coast State College 3-2 for the 1 pm game. GCS would be the second team eliminated and ended their season at 37-17.

#4 CCF (53-9) defeated #3 Chipola College (44-5) 6-5 in the 4 pm game to advance to the FCSAA State/NJCAA District G Championship Game and send Chipola to the losers bracket.

#1 FSW (54-1) defeated RV Indian River State in a 9-5 come from behind win and also advanced to the  FCSAA State/NJCAA District G Championship Game while sending IRS to the losers bracket.

Up Next:
Six teams remains in the tournament with three just one loss away from being eliminated from the tournament.

The FCSAA State/NJCAA District G Championship Game (State Champion) is set in stone as #1 FSW will play #4 CCF at 4 pm. The winner of that game will be the first team in the state of Florida to go to the JUCO College Softball World Series in St. George, Utah, while the loser will compete in the FCSAA State/NJCAA District H Championship Game (State Runner-Up) on Sunday, May 5 at 10 am.

#17 Seminole State will #3 Chipola College at 10 am, while #20 SCF follows with their game against RV Indian River at 1 pm. SCF is 3-16 overall against the Pioneers, 7-12 against the Raiders and 0-7 against Chipola, which includes the 8-0 loss in the opening round (2012-Present).

The winner of those two games will face each other at 7 pm where the winner of that game will advance to the FCSAA State/NJCAA District H Championship Game against the loser of the  FCSAA State/NJCAA District G Championship Game.