Bradenton, Fla - The SCF softball team (12-14, 6-12 Citrus) were able to break their eight-game cold streak and back on top as they swept St. Pete College (13-21, 6-12 Citrus) by scores of 3-2 and 5-4.
"We are happy that we got both wins," said head coach Mandy Schuerman. "We will need to capitalize more with runners in scoring position and continue to try to make all routine plays."
"Overall, we did good being able to score after St. Pete did," said sophomore Maddisan Noriega. "It would go back and forth where they would score to tie the game after we scored and then we scored and kept the lead. It felt good to get the sweep in the end after falling short a few times and while it wasn't our best, we will make sure to bring it for the next series for sure."
"Overall, I think we did a good job finding a way to get on base and did well staying in the game after they started scoring. It felt good to get the sweep, but we know our potential. It wasn't our greatest performance, but we are set on the right track and going into the next series hungry."
Game One:
Schuerman sent freshman Julianna Stachowicz (7-5, 1.23 ERA) to open game one, while St. Pete head coach Bre Myers went with freshman Mariade Los Angeles Fory to counter.
The Titans would open on the board first at the top of the first as sophomore Ayla Horne would bring in a run with an RBI double. In the bottom half of the inning, the Manatees would respond back. After sophomore Haley Rosenbaum (single) and freshmen Hailey Margetis (single) and Ryleigh Bennett (single) loaded the bases, sophomore Alissa Kessler would draw a walk to bring in Rosenbaum. Two batters later, freshman Lydia Denton would bring draw a bases-loaded walk of her own to bring in Margetis and give the Manatees a 2-1 lead. One inning later, sophomore Karsyn Rutherford would score on a double steal with Margetis to make it 3-1 SCF.
The Titans would add one more run to the board at the top of the third as freshman Paige Bankston would hit an RBI single, but it would be all they could produce as the Manatees sealed the victory.
Stachowicz would improve to 8-5 after throwing a complete game, giving up two runs on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
Fory would fall to 0-1 after giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts in six innings.
Bennett would lead the way in hitting in the first game as she went 2-for-3 at the plate. Rosenbaum (1-for-4, one run and one stolen base), Margetis (1-for-3, one run and two stolen bases) and Kessler (1-for-2, one RBI and one walk) had the remaining three hits, while Denton (one RBI and two walks) and Rutherford (one run and one stolen base) also contributed in the game.
Freshman Alyssa Filmer would lead the way in hitting for the Titans as she went 2-for-4 with two runs
Game Two:
Looking to go for the sweep, Schuerman sent sophomore Brielle Bostow (1-2, 5.92 ERA) to start game two, while Myers sent freshman Nia Fisher (2-6, 2.55 ERA) to counter.
The Titans would score first at the top of the first after freshman Gabrielle Rascher scored on a wild pitch. One inning later, they would increase the lead to 2-0 off of a Manatee fielding error before it became 3-0 at the top of the third after an RBI single by Bankston.
The Manatees would then get on the board in the bottom of the third after Margetis would hit an RBI single to bring in Rutherford.
Heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Manatees would pull a rally beginning with a leadoff single by sophomore Janessa Benavides. After Margetis drew a walk, Bennett would send a single to right to bring in Benavides before Kessler tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single to bring in Margetis. The Manatees would then take the lead as Bennett would score on a wild pitch before sophomore Maddisan Noriega sent a single to right to bring in Kessler and make it 5-3 SCF.
The Titans would add their final run on the board from an RBI single by Rascher at the top of the sixth, but the Manatees were able to hold the lead and seal the victory for the sweep.
Bostow would earn a no-decision after giving up three runs (one earned) on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in two and third innings.
Bennett would improve to 3-3 after giving up one unearned run on three hits with four strikeouts in four and two-third scoreless innings of relief. She was also 1-for-3 with an RBI, one run and one walk and finished 3-for-6 at the plate in both games."
"I felt good at the plate in both games," said Bennett. "I was seeing the ball really well and was on top of it. We have been very focused on our hitting, so I'm happy to see it paying off for all of us. I felt good pitching and went in with confidence that we could get out of innings without giving up runs."
Fisher would fall to 2-7 after giving up three runs on two hits with one walk in no innings. Sophomore Kassidy Goodpaster would give up two runs on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts in six innings of relief.
Noriega would lead the way in hitting for game two as she went 2-for-3 with an RBI and two stolen bases.
"It felt amazing to be able to help my team," said Noriega. "That's what I strive for when I'm going up to the plate and that's to get the job done and produce for my team,"
Benavides (1-for-3, one run), Margetis (1-for-2, one RBI, one run and two walks), Kessler (1-for-3, one RBI, one run and one walk) and freshman Olivia Rogers (1-for-3, one stolen base) had the remaining four hits while Rutherford (one run and one walk) also contributed in the game.
Up Next:
The Manatees will travel to Winter Haven to take on Polk State (8-20, 2-16 Citrus) at the Diamond Plex Saturday afternoon, March 23 at 12 and 2 pm.
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