WINTER PARK, Fla. – Rollins softball secured a statement sweep over No. 2 Angelo State on Sunday at MLK Jr. Park, taking game one in six innings, 10-2, before earning a 7-5 victory in game two.
Game One – Rollins 10, #2 Angelo State 2 (6 inn.)
The Tars opened the afternoon with a three-up-three-down defensive frame before immediately putting pressure on the Rambelles.
Jenna Borkey led off with a bunt single and put her speed on full display, stealing both second and third.
Rachel Matthiesen capitalized, driving her in to give Rollins a 1-0 advantage. Angelo State answered with a solo home run in the bottom half, knotting the score at 1-1 heading into the second.
Brooke Theisen sparked the offense in the second with a single through the right side, and
Kaeli Zahradnik followed with a base hit to put two aboard. After a caught stealing erased one runner,
Claire Long delivered an RBI single to retake the lead.
Makayla Layton was hit by a pitch to extend the inning, and Borkey followed with another perfectly placed bunt single to score Long and load the bases. A Rambelles miscue during Matthiesen's plate appearance allowed another run to cross, stretching the Rollins lead to 5-1.
After a scoreless third, Angelo State pushed one across in the fourth.
Reese Twiggs and the Rollins defense worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam, limiting the damage and preserving the lead.
Rollins added separation in the fifth. Matthiesen opened the inning with a base hit, and after two outs, Theisen doubled down the third-base line to reignite the rally. Pinch hitter
Marisa Edevane and Zahradnik drew consecutive walks to load the bases, setting the stage for Long. The sophomore delivered, clearing the bases with a double to the right-center wall to extend the advantage to 8-2.
In the sixth,
Brianna Perantoni led off with a hit, and an Angelo State error put two on. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position before
Gabriella Barrera delivered the final blow with a two-RBI single to end the contest in run-rule fashion, 10-2.
Game Two – Rollins 7, #2 Angelo State 5
Rollins struck first again in game two. Borkey drew a walk and advanced into scoring position before Theisen lined a single into right field to bring her home and give the Tars the early edge. Angelo State evened the score in the second, but
Camila Leon-Blanco settled in the circle to minimize further damage.
Isabella Golas opened the bottom of the second with a base hit, and back-to-back Rambelles errors loaded the bases. Angelo State pulled the infield in and recorded two force outs at home, but Barrera delivered in the clutch, ripping a double down the left-field line to plate two. Theisen followed with her fifth hit of the day, driving in another to give Rollins a 5-1 cushion.
Angelo State responded in the third with a hit and a two-run home run to trim the deficit. Rollins answered immediately. Golas led off with a double to the fence, and Long followed with an RBI hit to make it 6-3. After moving into scoring position, Zahradnik brought Long home to extend the lead to 7-3.
A scoreless fourth led into a Rambelles run in the fifth, cutting it to a three-run game. Angelo State threatened again in the sixth with the bases loaded, but the Tars limited the damage to one run and maintained control heading into the final frame.
The Rambelles brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh, but Twiggs and the Rollins defense shut down the rally to secure the 7-5 victory and complete the sweep.
The pair of wins improves the Tars to 4-2 on the season. Rollins returns to action Friday, February 20, with a 6 p.m. road matchup against Florida Southern in Lakeland.
