WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- Afternoon turned to evening at Simpson Field as the Palm Beach Atlantic softball team split their opening day doubleheader with the Keiser Seahawks on Friday.
A back and forth, extra-inning thriller entertained the large crowd at Simpson Field on day one of the season. PBA held a 2-1 lead for the majority of the game before Keiser tied it in the seventh to force extra innings and won the game in the eighth. The Sailfish flipped the script on the Seahawks in game 2. After going down two early, the Sailfish nabbed the lead and never looked back.
The Sailfish continue their opening weekend with a doubleheader against Florida National back at Simpson Park on the Rinker Athletic Campus. First pitch is set for noon on Saturday.
Game One – Keiser: 3 – PBA: 2
Keiser took the lead in the first by stringing together a few singles and playing station to station softball. Rylee Little, a freshman first baseman making her Sailfish debut, got the 'Fish started with a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second. A single by Kaitlyn Campbell moved Little into scoring position and she would score after a ball in play by Daylin Hetjmanek forced a bad throw from the Seahawk shortstop. Hetjmanek scored on a hit from freshman Kaycee McClellan to give PBA the 2-1 lead. With the wind blowing out most of the day, Keiser took advantage and tied it in the top of the seventh with a big triple to deep center field from Macy Schaaf. Abby Arend scored in the top of the eighth after an error, a sac bunt, and a fielder's choice. PBA was unable to keep the game going in the bottom of the extra frame. Karen Vasquez dropped her first decision of the season, going all eight innings. Allowing 9 hits, 2 earned runs, and one walk on 124 pitches with two strikeouts.
Game Two – PBA: 7 – Keiser: 4
Keiser got out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning but PBA roared back. Evoni Rodriguez tripled to right field and batted in Lauren O'Brien and Daylin Hetjmanek to tie the game at two. But the 'Fish weren't done in the third yet. A shot from Larken Maseda hit the left-field wall just narrowly missing a home run to bring in Rodriguez and take the lead. Lauren O'Brien and Kaycee McClellan would add RBI's of their own to make it a 5-2 game. However, Keiser fought back and brought it back to 5-4. PBA added two insurance runs in the fifth and sixth to make it 7-4 and take the victory. Lauren Allen got the complete game win in 7.0 innings and 86 pitches. She allowed nine hits and two earned runs with one strikeout.
