MELBOURNE,
Fla. (April 1, 2006) ' On an afternoon when senior Kelly Cruz
became the All-Time hits leader for the Rollins College Softball
team, the Tars (31-10, 9-6 SSC) dropped two Sunshine State
Conference games to Florida Tech (25-11, 12-6 SSC), losing 12-1 in
five innings in game one and 3-2 in ten innings in game two. With
her two hits in the second game of the double header, Cruz now has
195 hits in her four year career, one more than former hits leader
Jody Horton.
'
After
a Friday afternoon game that saw the Tars grab a 2-1 victory, the
two teams returned to the field on Saturday and the Panthers
immediately took control of the game. After opening the game by
scoring one run in the first, the Panthers exploded for nine hits
and 11 runs in the second inning, including two grand slams, one by
Megan Hube and the second by Dana Buccelli. Rollins would rally to
score one run in the fifth after sophomore Jen Olsen (Winter Haven,
Fla.) hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring junior Amanda
DeFilippo (Winter Springs, Fla.) from third.
'
Amber
West recorded the win for the Panthers, holding the Tars to only
one run and five hits. Freshman Nicole Anderson (Brandon, Fla.)
went one and a third innings for the Tars before she was replaced
by fellow freshman Rachel Brenneman (Cheshire, Conn.). Combined the
two Rollins pitchers surrendered 12 hits and 12 runs while walking
two and striking out only one batter. Notching the five hits for
the Tars were Olsen, DeFilippo, freshman Jamie Rausch (Ocoee,
Fla.), sophomore Ingrid Schumacher (Naples, Fla.) and junior Devon
Kontos (Orlando, Fla.).
'
The
second game was a complete opposite to the first, as the two teams
struggled to get runs across the plate. The teams combined left a
total of 18 runners stranded on base. Rollins opened the scoring in
the second as Kontos singled in DeFilippo from third base. The
Panthers answered in the third when Katie Naumoff singled up the
middle, scoring Buccelli from third.
'
Both
teams then turned up their defense and held each other scoreless,
sending the game into extra innings. The Tars opened the ninth
inning with an Ashley East (Pace, Fla.) single through the left
side. Kontos advanced East to second with a sacrifice bunt and then
sophomore Rachel Almengual (Odessa, Fla.) singled East home. The
go-ahead run for the Tars did not last long as the Panthers put
another run on the board in the ninth as Naumoff scored from third
off a Kelly Darden sacrifice fly to right field.
'
In
the 10th inning, international rules came into effect, as a runner
was placed on second base to begin the inning. Rollins threatened,
as Rausch was able to advance to third on a Stacy Sanders (Orlando,
Fla.) sacrifice bunt, but the next two hitters could not get Rausch
home.
'
The
Panthers came to bat in the 10th and moved the runner to third base
off a sacrifice bunt. Laura Chisena then stepped to the plate with
two outs and the runner on third and singled to center field,
scoring the winning run.
'
West
picked up the win for a second straight game after coming in during
the fourth for Judith Husband. The two Panthers pitchers gave up 10
hits and two runs, while walking one and striking out two.
Schumacher picked up her second loss of the season, allowing eight
hits and three runs while walking two and striking out four.
'
Almengual,
Rausch and Cruz all notched two hits in the game, with Cruz's
second hit of the game in the fifth inning giving her the All-Time
Hits Leader title.
'
The
Tars will return to conference play on Tuesday, April 4 when they
travel to Lakeland, Fla. for a three game series against Florida
Southern. Game one will be played on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. and
the teams will return for a double header on Wednesday, April 5 at
6:00 p.m.
