Softball Sweeps South Florida State

 

Game One:

Schuerman sent freshman Karsyn Rutherford to the mound, while South Florida State head coach Carlos Falla went with sophomore Emylee Mountin.

 

The Manatees would open up on the scoreboard first as freshman Haley Rosenbaum would hit a single, steal second and advance to third on a groundout before scoring after classmate Alissa Kessler reached on a fielding error. The Panthers would then take the lead 3-1 in the bottom half of the inning after a two-RBI double by Ashton Lewis before she scored on a Manatee fielding error.

 

The Manatees would then cut the deficit to 3-2 at the top of the Oaks brought in redshirt freshman Jordan O'Brien with a fielder's choice before the Panthers brought the lead back up by two after Brielle Rosa scored on a fielding error.

 

At the top of the third, the Manatees would tie the game at 4-4 after Kessler and Copeland scored on a fielding error while sophomore Chantel Schurr reached second. One inning later, the Manatees would retake the lead as Copeland would send a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Oaks to make it 5-4.

 

In the bottom half of the fourth, the Panthers would retie the game at 5-5 after an RBI groundout by Lewis. 

 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Panthers would regain the lead after an RBI single by Samalys Guzman to make it 6-5. One inning later, the Panthers would push the lead to 8-5 lead after a bases-loaded walk by Kaylee Underwood and an RBI single by Madison Hodge. This signaled the end for Rutherford as Schuerman would send sophomore Sam Carlin to the mound to get out of the inning.

 

At the top of the seventh, the Manatees put together a rally to boost their confidence to get out of the slump. After Copeland and Kessler hit back-to-back singles to start, Schurr Gabi Nicholson and Olivia Siebert would hit three straight RBI singles to tie the game at 8-8. After  bunt by sophomore Presley O'Kimosh, Carlin would be the hero as the product of Riverview would send a single to center to bring in Nicholson and Siebert to make it 10-8 SCF. From there, Carlin, despite giving up a single, would get out of the bottom of the seventh as the Manatees got the win.

 

Rutherford would earn a no-decision after giving up eight runs (two earned) on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts. She was also 2-for-3 at the plate.

 

Carlin would move to 2-0 after throwing one and a third scoreless innings of relief. She was also 1-for-1 with two RBI at the plate.

 

"Sam (Carlin) has come through for us in a big way," said Schuerman on Carlin. "We are happy on her role that she is playing"

 

Moutin would fall to 2-3 after throwing a complete game, giving up 10 runs (five earned) on 13 hits with one walk and one strikeout.

 

Alongside Rutherford, Rosenbaum (2-for-5, one run and two stolen bases), Copeland (2-for-4, two runs and one RBI), Kessler (2-for-4, two runs) and Schurr (2-for-4, two RBI and one run) each had two hits.

 

Siebert (1-for-3, one RBI and one run), O'Kimosh (1-for-3), Oaks (one run, one walk, one RBI and one stolen base) and O'Brien (one run and one stolen base) also contributed in the game for the Manatees.

 

For the Panthers, Rosa and Samantha Beardin lead the way in hitting as they both had three hits each. Lewis lead the way in RBI as she was 1-for-3 with three RBI.

 

Game Two:

For game two, Schuerman sent freshman Brielle Bostow to the mound, while Falla went with freshman Sydney Toukonen.

 

The Manatees would once again get on the board first at the top of the first as Oaks, who hit a single, stole second and moved up to third after Schurr was hit by a pitch, scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-0 SCF. At the top of the second, the Manatees would extend their lead further beginning with O'Kimosh drawing a one-out and a two-out single by Oaks before Siebert reached second on a fielding error while O'Kimosh scored to make it 2-0 SCF. This would set up an huge opportunity for Copeland as the former Warner University Royal would send a three-run homer to center for her first of the season. One inning later, Nicholson would send a solo homer to center for her first of the season. This signaled the end for Toukonen as Falla would send freshman Makayla Oster to the mound.

 

After the pitching change, Rosenbaum would get hit by a pitch before moving to second on a passed ball and stole third. After freshman Maddisan Noriega drew a walk, both would commit a double steal as Rosenbaum stole home to bring in a run while Noriega stole second before moving to third on a error by the catcher. Sophomore Renee Dixon, who came in to pinch hit for Oaks, would hit an RBI single to center to bring in Noriega for an 8-0 SCF lead and invoke the mercy rule.

 

In the bottom of the third, Bostow would get herself in a bit of a jam after putting two runners in scoring position, but with the defense on her side, she was able to get out of the jam and get out of the third. One inning later, the Manatees continued to shake up the offense as freshman Taylor Halback would send a double to center to bring in Copeland to make it 9-0 SCF.

 

At the top of the fifth, the Manatees would push the lead to double digits. After a leadoff pinch hit single by sophomore Molly Starinsky and Oaks reaching on a Panther fielding error, Siebert would reach base on a fielder's choice before Copeland send an infield single to bring in Starinsky to make it 10-0 SCF. After Schurr loaded the bases after reaching on fielding error, Nicholson would showcase her power as the Tennessee native would clear the bases with a double to center to make it 13-0 SCF. From there, Bostow would seal the deal with the defense backing her up to give the Manatees a clean sweep.

 

Bostow would move to 2-2 after throwing a three-hit five inning shutout with one walk and three strikeouts.

 

Toukonen would fall to 0-2 after giving up six runs (two earned) on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in two and a third. Oster gave up seven runs (two earned) on six hits with two walks in two and thirds innings of relief.

 

Three Manatees hat a multi-hit game. Copeland would be the leader in game two as she finished 3-for-3 with a home run,  four RBI, three runs, a walk and a stolen base. In fact, she was a triple shy of a cycle. She would finish 5-for-7 with five RBI.

 

"I felt confident at the plate in both games," said Copeland on her game. "I wanted all my at-bats to be productive for both games, no matter what the end result was for me personally. I liked the lineup order for game two a lot."

 

"Tori was on fire," said Schuerman on Copeland. "I was very impressed by her effort and performance today."

 

Nicholson would follow finishing 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. She finished 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBI.

 

"I definitely felt really good getting these two wins to get out of this slump we were in," said Nicholson on her game. "Knowing that even if we didn't score a run or get a hit, my team still had my back and we still managed to get the dubs. At the plate, I just had to tell myself 'you know you can hit it, so just hit it'" 

 

Oaks rounded out the order as she finished 2-for-3 with two runs and a stolen base. 

 

Dixon (1-for-1, one RBI), Halback (1-for-2, one RBI) and Starinsky (1-for-1, one run) had the remaining three hits, while Siebert (two runs), Schurr (one run), Rosenbaum (one run and one stolen base), O'Brien (one walk) and O'Kimosh (one run and one walk) also contributed in the game.

 

Rosa, Lexi Witz and Kaedyn Holcomb had the Panthers three hits in game two.

 

Notes: