WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team opened its season with a doubleheader against No. 12 Valdosta State on Friday.
The Sailfish (0-2) lineup featured several new faces, but PBA played a pair of competitive games against the Blazers. A big first inning by VSU (2-0) cost the Sailfish in game one, leading to a 4-2 loss.
The second game was a back-and-forth matchup. The 'Fish grabbed a 3-0 lead, but VSU negated it with a three-run fourth inning. The Blazers led 5-3 after a pair of runs in the sixth, but the Sailfish tied it up with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Unfortunately for the 'Fish, VSU took advantage of some defensive miscues in the seventh to win the game, 7-5.
PBA faces West Florida in a doubleheader on Saturday. The first pitch at Simpson Field is scheduled for 12 p.m.
Game One – VSU: 4, PBA: 2
Cambria Arturo got the start in the circle for PBA's first game of the season. She faced a tough task, going against a potent Blazer offense. Three hits and an error in the first inning allowed VSU to lead 3-0 through the first frame. Arturo struck out the last two batters of the inning to strand a pair of runners, limiting the damage to two runs.
Daylin Hejtmanek led off the bottom in the first with a single and stolen base to put a runner in scoring position for the Sailfish. Briana Rodriguez laid down a bunt that she seemed to beat out, but the speedy B. Rodriguez was ruled out by the base umpire. She moved the Hejtmanek to third base, but the call on the bases proved to be costly as a strikeout and a groundout ended PBA's rally.
The Blazers added another run in the third after a single, sacrifice bunt, and an error led to an insurance run for VSU. Dallas Watterson singled to open the fifth for PBA and was pinch run for by Kendall Baer. The first-year Sailfish advanced to second on a single, then moved to third on a walk before coming around to score on an RBI single to right field by B. Rodriguez.
Freshman Bella O'Connor came through with a double for the Sailfish in the sixth inning, putting runners on second and third. Watterson singled down the left field line to score Larken Maseda and make it a 4-2 game. PBA brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but couldn't bring it home, dropping the season opener, 4-2.
Hejtmanek and Watterson recorded two hits each. B. Rodriguez and Watterson tallied an RBI each. PBA matched VSU with seven hits in the game. Arturo pitched four innings, surrendering four runs, two earned, on five hits and a walk. Newcomer Ashlynn Storms pitched two scoreless innings of relief. Karen Vasquez tossed the seventh inning, surrendering one hit, but holding VSU scoreless.
Game Two – VSU: 7, PBA: 5
PBA started game two with a leadoff walk by Hejtmanek, followed by a single from B. Rodriguez. A sacrifice bunt from Evoni Rodriguez moved the runners to second and third. A sacrifice fly from Maseda scored one run, and a throwing error from the VSU left-fielder allowed B. Rodriguez to score and give PBA a 2-0 lead.
Two hit batters and two walks plated another run for the Sailfish, making it a 3-0 lead for PBA. VSU scored three runs in the fourth inning off two hits, two walks, and a PBA error to tie the game. The Blazers scored two more runs thanks to two PBA errors and one hit, taking a 5-3 lead.
A clutch two-out double from Maseda drove in Hejtmanek and B. Rodriguez to tie the game at five. The game did not stay tied for long as two hits and a PBA error allowed VSU to take a 7-5 lead. PBA went down in order in the seventh.
B. Rodriguez led PBA with two hits, two runs, and a hit by pitch. Hejtmanek added two runs, one hit, and one RBI.
Lacy Marty got the start in the circle. She pitched 3.2 innings and allowed three runs on three hits and three walks. Chloe Nepveux tossed 2.1 innings in relief, giving up two runs on one hit. Both of Nepveux runs were unearned. Vasquez pitched the final inning again, giving up two runs, one earned run on two hits.
