Gulf Shores, Ala. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team started its season a day late due to Friday's weather, but the Sailfish did not let that detour them from earning a big win on Saturday.
 
PBA (1-1) opened the day with an early matchup against No. 24 Valdosta State (0-1). It was a low-scoring contest that need extra innings, but the Sailfish pulled off the upset 3-2, thanks in large part to the performance by Abbey Busby in the circle. PBA tried to make it a 2-0 day when it played Rogers State (1-0), but the 'Fish could not repeat their success, falling to the Hillcats 5-1.
 
The Sailfish will conclude their time in Gulf Shores tomorrow with a game against Midwestern State. First pitch is scheduled to take place at 9 a.m. central time.
 
Game 1: No. 24 Valdosta State
 
The first game of the day was a pitcher's duel as PBA's ace Busby took the circle against the Blazers. After a shaky first inning where she allowed two hits and a run, Busby settled in by striking out four in her next two innings of work.
 
PBA had several chances to answer the Blazers early in the game. Magnolia West got leadoff hits in both the first and third innings, but the Sailfish were unable to bring her around to score. The 'Fish also left a pair of runners on base in the second inning.
 
Just when it seemed as if the PBA offense had gone stagnant, Faith Allen led off the fifth inning with her first collegiate hit, and it was a big one. The freshman sent a line drive over the centerfield fence to tie the game at one and breathe new life into the 'Fish offense. West followed with a double down the left-field line, and a walk by Hannah Carlton put runners on first and second with no outs. Unfortunately for PBA, a groundout, fielder's choice and a strikeout followed which kept the 'Fish from taking the lead.
 
Busby continued to do her job and shut down the Valdosta State bats. She was aided by a defense that did not commit an error, but the junior did plenty of her own work by striking out 12 Blazers in the contest. 
 
PBA nearly took the lead in the top of the sixth after a leadoff double by Edmilly Molina. Hayley Haas took her place to run at second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Liz Albertini. Allen stepped to the plate looking to give the Sailfish the lead, but Haas was thrown out trying to score on a wild pitch, and the 'Fish came up empty in the inning. The Blazers had a chance to score in the bottom of the inning with runners on second and third, but Busby left them stranded.
 
The game moved to extra innings tied at one, and the eighth inning brought the international tiebreaker rules into play, placing a runner on second for PBA with no outs. A throwing error allowed Alexis Guerra to score and put Maddie Biggs on second base. Biggs scored on a sac fly from West to make it 3-1 heading to the bottom of the eighth.
 
Valdosta State did not go down without a fight. The Blazers scored a run thanks to an RBI double which was followed by a walk to put runners on first and second with one away. Busby got the second out with her 12th strikeout, which may have been her most important one of the day. She got the last batter to groundout to first base to clinch the 3-2 victory for PBA.
 
Busby allowed seven hits in her eight innings of work and her 12 strikeouts set a new career-high. West led PBA with three hits and an RBI. Molina followed with two hits and two walks. 
 
 
Game 2: Rogers State
 
The Sailfish looked to carry their momentum into their second game of the day, but the offense was unable to carry over against Rogers St. 
 
After giving up a run to the Hillcats in the top of the firsts, PBA was able to muster a run early thanks to a leadoff triple by West and an RBI groundout from Katherine Budnovich to tie the game at 1; however, that was the last run the Sailfish scored for the rest of the day.
 
Rogers plated another run in the top of the second to retake the lead and held onto it the rest of the day. The Sailfish had a chance to respond in the bottom of the third after West singled and got herself in scoring position by steal second base, but she was left stranded. 
 
The Hillcats extended their lead to 5-1 in the top of the fourth thanks to a two-RBI double and an RBI single. PBA's offense stayed quiet until the bottom of the seventh when it got two base runners on with one out; however, they were unable to mount a comeback.
 
West accounted for three of PBA's five hits in the inning. Budnovich tossed five innings in the circle giving up two earned runs on seven hits while striking out two. Taylor Pennica also made her season debut in the circle. She threw two innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits.