CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.- The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team played University of Illinois-Springfield and Shorter in a doubleheader on Friday afternoon. The Sailfish took both victories with late inning dramatics including a walk-off single from Marli Szierer in game two.
The Sailfish return to the field tomorrow with another doubleheader. The Sailfish takes on Alabama-Huntsville and #8 West Texas A&M beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Game One – PBA: 7, UIS: 6
The 'Fish set the tone from the start. Kaitlyn Campbell drew a walk and swiped second, setting the stage for Dianna Montidoro's single, pushing Campbell to third. Campbell then scored on Lauren O'Brien's groundout, and Montidoro came home on Larken Maseda's sac fly. Rylee Little walked and sprinted home from first on Marli Szierer's double.
In the third, Kierea Smits doubled, driving in two more, piling the pressure on Illinois Springfield. The Sailfish built a 6-0 lead in the first three innings.
Rylee Little was solid on the mound, striking out seven over four innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs. Lauren Allen stepped up, throwing 3 1/3 innings of near-flawless relief, giving up just one hit with no runs, and striking out one. She faced 12 batters, delivering 45 pitches, 25 of which were strikes, keeping Springfield off the board.
Springfield tied things up with a couple of big innings in the fourth and fifth innings but the Sailfish didn't waiver and kept the game tied heading into extra innings. With Holly Frankl starting the inning on second, the Sailfish laid down a sac bunt to get Frankl over to third. A wild pitch scratched Frankl across for the leading run.
The Prairie Stars popped up a bunt and added two ground outs in the final frame and the Sailfish held on for the 7-6 win.
Game Two – PBA: 6, Shorter: 5
Marli Szierer was a standout, scoring twice, belting a homer, and racking up three RBIs on three hits. Dianna Montidoro showcased her speed with three stolen bases, scoring twice and drawing two walks. Kaitlyn Campbell chipped in with two hits, one run, and a stolen base, fueling the Sailfish's spirited performance.
The 'Fish built momentum with savvy hitting and heads-up baserunning. In the third, an RBI groundout by Lauren O'Brien sent Kaitlyn Campbell home, followed by a Szierer single that brought in Montidoro. Szierer shone again in the fifth, launching a solo home run to right center field.
Lauren Allen delivered a steady 4 innings in the circle for the 'Fish, allowing just 2 hits and 1 earned run while fanning 2 batters. Allen issued 2 walks and logged 6 groundouts and 4 flyouts.
Rylee Little stranded two Hawk runners on base and held them to just the tying run in the top of the seventh to give her team a chance to stay alive in the game. Montidoro battled with an incredible ten pitch at bat to earn a walk to put the leadoff runner on base. O'Brien followed that up with a hard-hit single into centerfield to put runners on first and second. Maseda dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the winning run just 60 feet away.
Enter Marli Szierer.
The sophomore third baseman stepped up to the plate and hit a hard ground ball through the left side of the infield for her third hit of the game and to earn the walk-off, 7-6 win for the Sailfish
