Softball Takes Two During Thursday's Games in Florida
Wayne State Box Score
Tiffin Box Score
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 17, 2011) – C.W. Post softball took two games on Saint Patrick's Day in Florida, defeating Wayne State, 4-0, and Tiffin, 5-4. The Pioneers move to 5-3 on their Florida trip to start the season.
The first game against Wayne State seemed that of a pitcher's duel through the first four innings of play. The Pioneers finally opened up the scoring in the game during the fifth inning with a RBI single off the bat of Kaci Hopkins (New Egypt, N.J.). Hopkins singled into left field with the bases loaded, allowing Nicole Fierro (East Hampton, N.Y.) to touch home after she came in as a pinch runner for Nicole Capella (Shirley, N.Y.), who reached earlier in the inning on an error. Kerry Fisher (Barto, Pa.) later drove in Krysta Palazzo (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) for the second run of the inning and game.
The Pioneers then tacked on two more runs the next inning, as Jessica Julich (Kings Park, N.Y.) was driven in by Capella with a single up the middle. Julich got on base with a double to left field with two outs already in the inning. Later, with the bases loaded, Capella scored after Hopkins was hit by a pitch.
Those four runs were more than enough for starting pitcher Christina Berardi (Raynham, Mass), who shut out Wayne State with seven great innings of work. From the third inning up until the seventh, Berardi had managed to retire 11 batters in a row, and only gave up three base runners all came, with only one hit. The senior pitcher struck out five and induced 15 ground balls to earn her second victory on the young season, improving to 2-1.
The second game of the day for C.W. Post put the Pioneers up against the Dragons of Tiffin University for the second time this week. The Dragons took the first match-up this week back on Sunday, defeating C.W. Post 4-3.
Kendall Bright (Manlius, N.Y.) got things going in the bottom of the second inning as she smacked her second homerun of the season over the right field fence. Palazzo then later doubled to the right centerfield wall, driving in two runs. Palazzo then came around to score with Fisher's RBI single to left center, making the score 4-0 after two.
Palazzo then scored another run in the bottom of the fourth after she had singled to lead-off the inning. The junior scored after an error allowed Fisher to reach base, making the score 5-0 in favor of C.W. Post.
Tiffin did not give up though, as the Dragons struck back in the top of the fifth inning. After Lauren Mazzuca reached on an error, Amanda Temple drilled a pitch over the center field wall, cutting the Pioneer lead to 5-2.
The long ball once again was used as an advantage for the Dragons, as this time Melodi Murrieta drove the ball over the fences for a two-run shot during the top of the sixth inning, making the score 5-4.
Berardi came on in relief for Pioneer starting pitcher, Sarah Kiser (Arnold, Md.), with one out in the top of the sixth inning. Berardi proceeded to strike out the only two batters she faced in the inning. Kiser finished the game pitching 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits, four runs, three earned, and striking out four.
Berardi then picked up her first save on the season after inducing two groundballs and striking out one in the top of the seventh, giving the Pioneers the 5-4 victory and giving Kiser her third victory on the season, moving her to 3-2 on the year.
C.W. Post will have Friday off before playing the final two games of the Florida trip on Saturday. The Pioneers are schedule to meet Wayne State at 1 p.m., followed by Stonehill at 3 p.m.