WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team played a Saturday doubleheader against East Stroudsburg on Saturday.
The Sailfish (4-3) started the day with a 7-2 win over the Warriors (1-3), thanks to a six-run third inning that was highlighted by a grand slam by Bella O'Connor. Karen Vasquez earned the win, tossing a complete game. The second game was tightly contested but went the way of the Warriors after a two-run seventh inning put the visitors ahead 4-2. PBA brought the tying run to the plate but couldn't bring it around to score.
PBA finishes its weekend with a single game against West Liberty on Sunday. The first pitch at Simpson Field takes place at 12:00 p.m.
Game One – PBA: 7, ESU: 2
The Warriors struck first in game one, scoring in the top of the first after three base hits. PBA struck back in the second inning. A single by O'Connor put runners on first and third with two outs. Sammy Perez came through in the clutch with a single up the middle to drive in Dallas Watterson and tie the game.
Briana Rodriguez led off the third inning with a single and advanced to third on a costly error by the Panthers. She scored on a squeeze play by Larken Maseda where ESU tried to get the out at home, but B. Rodriguez scored just before the tag came through. A walk from Watterson loaded the bases with no outs.
It seemed like the Warriors limited the damage to one run after a pair of groundballs forced two outs at home. O'Connor sent a high fly ball over the fence to score four runs and make it 6-1. Two walks and a single loaded the bases again, this time for Evoni Rodriguez who hit a two-out single to make it 7-1.
East Stroudsburg tried to answer in the fourth inning, but Vasquez got out of the jam, stranding two runners on base. The Warriors were down to their last chance in the seventh inning, but an error and a single put two runners on by ESU. A beautiful diving catch by B. Rodriguez in left field gave PBA a big second out in the inning. ESU plated one run on an RBI single, but Vasquez forced a groundout to the shortstop to end the game.
O'Connor finished with two hits, four RBIs, and one run. Perez, Maseda, and E. Rodriguez added two hits and one RBI each. Vasquez allowed one earned run on nine hits in seven innings pitched.
Game Two – ESU: 4, PBA: 2
The Sailfish led first in game two after another two-out RBI single from O'Connor drove in Kendall Baer to get a 1-0 lead for PBA. The Warriors jumped on the ball in the third inning, scoring two runs on five hits.
The game was stuck at 2-1 for most of the game. An error by ESU and a single by Watterson put a pair of runners on base for the Sailfish. Maseda was driven in by a clutch hit by Baer to tie the game at two.
ESU started the seventh inning with a pair of singles, causing coach Ty Singleton to bring Cambria Arturo out of the bullpen. She surrendered a base hit up the middle that tipped off her glove and loaded the bases with no outs. The Sailfish defense made an out at home to give them one out, but the bases were still juiced. A pop-out in foul territory got PBA its second out of the inning. Arturo forced another pop fly, but this one fell in no man's land behind second base to score two runs.
Daylin Hejtmanek singled up the middle with one out to bring the tying run to the plate. PBA made solid contact but couldn't find a hole. The 'Fish failed to complete the comeback.
Watterson led PBA with two hits. Maseda finished with one hit and two runs scored. Ashlyn Storms got the start in the circle. She pitched six innings, surrendering three runs on 11 hits with two strikeouts.
