WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Palm Beach Atlantic softball swept Queens College of New York Monday night in a doubleheader at Simpson Field. The Sailfish (16-14) blew away the Knights (0-2) in the first game before sneaking out a walk-off win in the second game to win their third straight.
Game 1: Palm Beach Atlantic 14, Queens College 6
The Sailfish jumped out ahead of the Knights in the bottom of the second inning when Janie McCloskey put an inside pitch over the left field wall with a no doubt homerun to score Maddie Biggs and Kaylee Winn who had both singled.
The Knights got a run back in the top of the fourth when they pushed across a run with a wild pitch. The Sailfish would get back that run and more in the bottom of the fourth as they scored four runs to put the score at 7-1. The 'Fish scored on a two RBI single from Maddie Bertisch, an RBI groundout from Katherine Budnovich, and a sacrifice fly from Winn.
PBA struggled in the top of the fifth as the Knights scored five runs on four hits and one error along with two walks and a hit by pitch.
The Sailfish were not rattled as they would have an offensive outburst of their own in the bottom of the fifth scoring seven runs to put the run rule in effect and end the game in five innings. PBA used four hits and three Queen's errors to put up six runs and put the game away at 14-6.
Budnovich, who started the game, pitched 4.2 innings giving up five hits and six runs with six walks and nine strikeouts to get the win putting her record at 4-5 on the season.
Alexis Guerra went 3-for-3 today with one RBI. Magnolia West, Bertisch, Biggs, and McCloskey all had two hits apiece. Bertisch had three RBI in the game which led the 'Fish.
Game 2: Palm Beach Atlantic 3, Queens College 2
Queens College got on the board first in game two as they scored in the second on a miscue by the Sailfish defense. They scored again in the top of the fourth on a wild pitch to put the score 2-0.
The Sailfish did not stay down for long scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Biggs got things started with a double to right center before Hannah Carlton singled to left. The runs would cross the plate when Kaylee Hinds singled to centerfield bringing home both Biggs and Carlton to tie the game up at two runs apiece.
PBA got the first three runners aboard in the seventh as Kathryn Sutton and West both had bunt singles before Bertisch singled in the infield. Winn stepped up to the plate with a sacrifice fly to left field allowing the speedy Sutton to score the winning run.
Abbey Busby who entered in the fourth got the win to improve to 12-6 giving up no hits and no runs while striking out six in her 3.2 innings of work.
West led the 'Fish with three hits while Bertisch, Biggs, and Hinds each had two.
The Sailfish will be back in action Friday March 15 as they travel to St. Petersburg to take on Eckerd College. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
