"I think we started out a little dead in game one and we missed some opportunities," said head coach Mandy Schuerman. "Obviously, we played good enough to win, but there was things we could definitely improve on like we did in game two."

 

"I think we did really good today and that we won twice against a team that went 25-2 last season," said sophomore Presley O'Kimosh.

 

"I thought we did good today," said freshman Haley Rosenbaum. "We didn't come in scared and let the fact that they (Western University) came all the way from Canada to scare us and we still played our best."

 

"As a pitcher, it is the best when my defense works behind me," said freshman Brielle Bostow. "Being able to throw a shutout was because of my defense and I can only feel super comfortable throwing my pitches when I know I have a good defense behind me, so I thought it was a very good team win overall and we all made plenty of adjustments to do so." 

 

 

Game One:

Schuerman sent sophomore Sam Carlin to the mound for the first game, while Western University head coach Pete Lemon went with senior Aimee Leduc.

 

In the bottom of the first, the Manatees would open the doors in the bottom of the first as freshman Alissa Kessler would send sophomore Tori Copeland with an RBI single left for the first run of the game. One inning later, O'Kimosh would send a single to left to bring in Rosenbaum to make it 2-0 SCF.

 

The Mustangs would get their first run on the board at the top of the fourth after a sacrifice fly by junior Lauren Greco. The Manatees would respond back in the bottom half of the inning. After sophomore Chantel Schurr drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball, Rosenbaum would send a single to center to bring in Schurr before stealing second. After O'Kimosh hit a single, she would help set up a double steal attempt as she stole second while Rosenbaum scored by stealing home to make it 4-1 SCF.

 

After a scoreless fifth, the Mustangs would get their run of the game at the top of the sixth after a fielder's choice by Greco. The Manatees would once again respond in the bottom half of the inning. After a one out single by Rosenbaum, before she stole second, and O'Kimosh drew a walk before they performed another successful double steal attempt, freshman Maddisan Noriega would send a single to right to bring in Rosenbaum and O'Kimosh to make it 6-2 SCF.

 

At the top of the seventh, the Mustangs would get two runners on, but strong defense form Carlin turning a double play gave the Manatees the win in the first game.

 

Carlin would get the win after throwing a complete game, giving up two runs on eight hits with three walks and one strikeout. She is now 3-0 on the season.

 

Leduc would get the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits with three walks and one strikeout. Freshman Haaneke Ister Bender gave up two runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout.

 

O'Kimosh and Rosenbaum would each have two hits. O'Kimosh (2-for-2) added an RBI, a walk, one run and two stolen bases, while Rosenbaum (2-for-2) added one RBI, one run, one walk and career-high five stolen bases. O'Kimosh also caught one runner from stealing second.

 

"I felt good at the plate," said O'Kimosh on her game. "I made some key adjustments based on the last game I played. I took what coach Tony (Cummings) told me into consideration about my hands being close to my body and I felt confident hitting the ball and I did."

 

"I felt comfortable at the plate and have been hitting good so far," said Rosenbaum on her stolen bases. "I just needed to come in with that same mentality from the last two games and I just built off their errors."

 

Noriega would be the only Manatee with a multi-RBI as she finished 1-for-1 with two RBI, while Kessler (1-for-2, one RBI) and Copeland (1-for-3, one run and one stolen base) had the remaining two hits. Schurr (one run, one walk and a stolen base) would also contribute in the game.

 

For the Mustangs, sophomore Abby TenPas had the only multi-hit game for the team as she went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Greco had their only two RBI.

 

Game Two:

For game two, Schuerman sent freshman Brielle Bostow to the mound, while Lemon sent freshman Hanneke Isert Bender to counter.

 

The Manatees would once again open early on the scoreboard beginning with sophomore Olivia Seibert reaching first on a fielding error before Copeland hit a bunt single and Kessler drew a walk to load the bases for Schurr. On a wild pitch, Copeland would score for the first run before Schurr grounded out to bring in Kessler. Sophomore Gabi Nicholson would then put on the speed as she hit a single before she scored on a fielding error in the outfield to make it 4-0 SCF.

 

In the bottom of the second, the Manatees would add to their lead beginning with a leadoff walk by freshman Taylor Halback. After a single by classmate Stephanie Oaks before they moved to scoring position on a Rosenbaum sacrifice bunt. Seibert would then send a single down the middle to bring in Halback and Oaks before she advanced to third on the throw and stole third. Copeland would then single Seibert in to make it 7-0.

 

Meanwhile on the mound, Bostow remained calm, cool and collected on the mound as she continued to put zeros on the board to keep the Mustangs from scoring and hitting.

 

In the bottom of the third, the Manatees would then invoke the eight-run mercy rule as Halback would send a single to left to bring in Nicholson to make it 8-0 SCF.

 

In the bottom of the fourth, the Manatees would add their final runs of the game to push their lead to double digits. After Seibert lead off with a walk and Copeland hit a single, Siebert would score on a fielding error as sophomore Renee Dixon reached on a fielder's choice. After redshirt freshman Jordan O'Brien was hit by a pitch and Nicholson would draw a walk to load the bases, Dixon would be out at home while Noriega reached on a fielder's choice. Halback would once again show her hitting ability as she sent a single to center to bring in O'Brien and Nicholson to make it 11-0 SCF.

 

Bostow would end up losing her chance at a no-hitter as she gave up a leadoff single, but the Tarpon Springs native would seal the shutout and get the win for the Manatees with the defense on her side. She would bump up to 3-3 after throwing a three-hit five inning shutout with one walk and one strikeout.

 

"The best way I felt on the mound was calm, cool and collected," said Bostow on her shutout. "After walking the first batter, the nerves sometimes get to me, but once I settled in, I felt good with Gabi (Nicholson) behind the plate."

 

Isert Bender would get the loss after giving up seven runs (four earned) on five hits with two walks in two innings. Sophomore Ainsleigh Wedow gave up four runs on three hits with two walks in two innings of relief.

 

Copeland would lead the way in hitting as she went 3-for-3 with an RBI and one run, while Halback lead the overall offense as she finished 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBI.

 

Siebert followed Halback in RBI as she went 1-for-2 with two RBI, three runs and one stolen base.

 

Nicholson (1-for-1, one home run and three runs) and Oaks (1-for-1, one run) had the remaining two hits, while Schurr (one RBI), Kessler (one run and one walk) and O'Brien (one run) also contributed.

 

Sophomore Abby Bush and freshmen Madison Mahon and Olivia Smith had all three of the Mustangs hits.

 

Notes:

The Manatees' softball is the first of all six athletic programs to play an international school (college/university). Western University hails from London, Ontario, Canada and represents Ontario University Athletics.

 

"It was amazing," said Schuerman on the historic. "While I don't really pay attention to all that, we just see another team on the other side."

 

'It felt good," said Bostow. "It was cool that we were the first team out of all of our teams from our program to play someone from another country."

 

"I thought it was great," said O'Kimosh. "I thought it was an amazing opportunity for us, even when I wasn't thinking about it constantly and just taking it one pitch at a time."

 

With the two wins, Schuerman would earn wins #248 and 249 and remains one away from reach 250 career wins as head coach.

 

Other Suncoast Scores:

Polk State (4-6) split their series with  Lake Sumter State (11-9) winning 6-5 before losing game two 7-6.

 

Suncoast Conference Standings:

1. St. Pete (8-6)

2. SCF (10-8)

3. Polk State (4-6)

4. Hillsborough (5-10)

 

Up Next:

The Manatees will head back on the road for the next four games. They will play on neutral grounds first as they head to Longwood to compete in the Courtney Miller Invitational at Boombah Park against host Seminole State College (16-3) and Eastern Florida State (8-12) Saturday, February 25 before traveling to Ocala to take on #12 College of Central Florida (16-4) Tuesday, February 28.