COLUMBUS, Ga. – Palm Beach Atlantic softball swept a doubleheader on Saturday to open up their 2018 season, as they defeated Mississippi College and Georgia Southwestern. The Sailfish will be back in action tomorrow as they will continue play at the crossover tournament, facing off with Flagler College at 10 a.m. and Montevallo at 12:30 p.m.
Game 1: Palm Beach Atlantic 5, Mississippi College 4 (8 innings)
The Sailfish got off to a good start to the 2018 season, as they walked off winners in their season opener over Mississippi College.
The 'Fish got on the scoreboard first, as Kaley Hinds doubled in two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Magnolia West and Michaela Hynes came around to score on the play, as both reached base on singles.
The Choctaws got one run back in the top of the third inning, and the Sailfish didn't take long to respond, as Brianna Rano singled in Kaley Hinds to extend the Sailfish lead to 3-1.
Ashton Adkins was cruising early in the game, as she allowed just two hits and one runs through five innings. The senior ran into a little bit of trouble in the sixth inning however, as Mississippi College clawed back with three runs to take a 4-3 lead. PBA came right back however, as Edmilly Molina singled home Claudia Pizzarelli to tie the game at four.
Neither team was able to score in the seventh inning as the game headed to extra innings. Jana Wagner (Win, 1-0) threw a scoreless seventh and eighth innings, to keep the game tied at four. The Sailfish were able to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, and Maddie Biggs worked an RBI walk to bring home the winning run.
Game 2: Palm Beach Atlantic 8, Georgia Southwestern 4
The Sailfish, as they did in game one on Saturday, got off to a strong start, as Hynes doubled home a run in the first inning. Pizzarelli scored on the double, after reaching on a triple of her own. West tacked on another run for the 'Fish in the second inning, plating Biggs.
The 'Fish scored two more runs in the fourth inning, as some sloppy play defensively from the Canes allowed the first run to score, and Hinds plated a run on an RBI single. The Canes fought back however, as they scored two runs in the fifth inning off Sailfish starter Abbey Busby (Win, 1-0) to cut the lead to 4-3. Busby finished her night with 4+ innings pitched, and three runs allowed while striking out five batters.
The big blow for the Sailfish came in the sixth inning, as Pizzarelli and Loren Kilgore reached base via single, and were joined on the bases by Hynes who walked. Molina stepped up to the plate with one out, and crushed a grand slam, to give the 'Fish an 8-3 lead and putting the game out of reach.
Wagner (Save, 1) appeared for the second time on Saturday, pitching three strong innings to shut the door on the Canes.
Kilgore had an impressive game at the plate for the 'Fish, as the senior went 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Pizzarelli and Hynes join Kilgore with multi-hit performances of their own on Saturday afternoon.
