GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team began its spring break by traveling to South Carolina to face Lander in a Monday doubleheader.
The Sailfish played a pair of competitive games against the Bearcats who entered the day with an impressive 19-2 record. PBA's (7-8, 6-3) offense produced a couple of chances with runners in scoring position in both games, but the Sailfish were missing the clutch hit they desperately needed. Both games were low-scoring battles, but PBA came out on the wrong side of both of them. The Sailfish got the winning run to second base and the tying run to third base in the seventh inning of game one but came up short, 1-0. The Sailfish then came out on the wrong end of a 2-1 extra-inning game.
PBA continues its spring break trip in Winter Haven, Fla. on Wednesday. PBA faces off against Southwest Minnesota State before playing St. Cloud State. The first pitch of game one against SMSU takes place at 2:30 p.m.
Game One – LU: 1, PBA: 0
Lander executed well on some small ball in the first inning of game one. A single up the middle, a stolen base, a groundout, and a bunt allowed the Bearcats to take a 1-0 lead. That was the lone run in the contest. The Sailfish didn't get their first hit until the sixth inning when
Evoni Rodriguez singled through the left side. The freshman advanced to second, then stole third, but was stranded on base to end the inning.
Maura Glatczak walked and
Janie McCloskey singled to start the seventh and put runners on first and second with no outs. A groundout put runners on second and third with one out. Unfortunately for the 'Fish a strikeout and a groundout ended the PBA comeback for the 'Fish to lose, 1-0.
Cambria Arturo pitched all six innings in the circle. She surrendered one run on six hits and one walks with three strikeouts. PBA mustered two hits in game one.
Game Two – LU: 2, PBA: 1 (8 inn.)
Lander took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning of game two with three hits and two stolen bases in the inning. The Sailfish fought back with their first run of the day. A
Daylin Hejtmanek single through the right side scored
Hayley Haas to tie the game at one in the fifth. PBA had runners on second and third with two outs but failed to take the lead.
The Bearcats threatened to walk it off in the seventh with runners on first and second, but
Chloe Nepveux entered the game in relief to stop the hosts' rally. The game entered the eighth inning putting the international tiebreaker in effect. PBA advanced Hejtmanek to third but came up empty in its half of the inning. Lander bunted its runner over to third and drove her in on a sacrifice fly to seal the 2-1 win for Lander.
Lacy Marty got the start in the circle for PBA. The freshman pitched well, surrendering one run on five hits and one walk with one strikeout. Nepveux tossed 1.2 innings with no earned runs and no hits.
Emma Gipson led the Sailfish offense, going 2-for-3 with a double.
