WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team faced conference foe Tampa in a doubleheader on Wednesday.
 
The Sailfish stole game one due to some small ball offense. Abbey Busby did not surrender an earned run yet again in the circle as PBA (4-2, 3-1 SSC) took the first game 2-1. The Sailfish offense got off to a faster start in game two. Four runs were enough run support for Cambria Arturo who earned her first win in a PBA uniform, defeating Tampa (0-2, 0-1 SSC) 4-2.
 
PBA will conclude its season series against the Spartans on Saturday with another doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
Game 1: PBA 2, Tampa 1
Errors plagued the Sailfish defense in the beginning of game one. Tampa took an early lead in the first frame after a defensive miscue led to an RBI-double for the Spartans. Tampa threatened again in the second inning thanks to another miscue, but Busby was able to keep the score at a reasonable margin.
 
PBA did all its damage in the bottom of the fifth frame. Meredith Milam started the rally with a leadoff single. She advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt by Maura Glatczak. Katherine Budnovich advanced the runner and reached first on a bunt single of her own to give the 'Fish runners on first and third. Hayley Haas got PBA on the board with a groundball that led to a play at the plate. The catcher couldn't handle the throw allowing the run to score and Haas to move to second. Briana Rodriguez laid down a perfectly placed bunt in the next at-bat to give PBA a 2-1 lead.
 
That was plenty of run support for Busby who set the Spartans down. The senior pitcher did not allow a hit after the fifth inning, finishing with four strikeouts and one walk. Win today's win, she moves to 3-0 on the season. PBA totaled six hits in the game with Milam and Rodriguez recording two hits each.
 
Game 2: PBA 4, Tampa 2
It only took PBA until the top of the second to record its first hit in game two, but the 'Fish came up empty in the frame. Arturo took care of business in the circle, striking out six consecutive batters between the second through the fourth innings. The sophomore did not surrender a baserunner until the fourth.
 
Once again, the 'Fish did all their damage in one inning, this time in the third. An error by the Spartans and a single by Faith Allen set up an RBI-groundout by Dallas Watterson. Taylor Pennica followed with a two-RBI single up the middle to make it 2-0 PBA. The Sailfish tacked on another run in the inning with an RBI-triple by Glatczak which gave the 'Fish a 4-0 lead.
 
Tampa clawed its way back with runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to cut the deficit to two. Arturo set down the Spartans quietly in the sixth, but the visitors threatened again in the seventh. Tampa brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but Arturo forced a fly-out to end the game with runners stranded on first and second.
 
Arturo finished with seven strikeouts and just one walk. She surrendered two earned runs on six hits. Milam again led PBA with two of the 'Fish' six hits.