DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Rollins softball split Saturday's doubleheader with Embry-Riddle, securing the series victory with a 6-4 win in game one before falling 3-2 in the nightcap.
Game One – Rollins 6, Embry-Riddle 4
Embry-Riddle struck first, using a walk and an error to plate the opening run. Rollins answered in a big way in the third inning.
Kaeli Zahradnik opened the frame with a single through the left side and came around to score moments later on a double from
Claire Long to tie the game.
Makayla Layton followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Long to third, and
Brianna Perantoni reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners.
Rachel Matthiesen then delivered the go-ahead RBI single, keeping Perantoni in scoring position.
Cambrie Todd added another infield single to load the bases before
Daylin Hejtmanek broke things open with a double to right, scoring two and pushing the Rollins lead to 5-2.
After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, Embry-Riddle trimmed the deficit in the sixth with three hits that produced two runs.
Rollins added an insurance run in the seventh. Matthiesen led off with a base hit, and Todd followed with another to put two runners aboard.
Jenna Borkey entered as a pinch hitter and moved both runners into scoring position.
Madi Carr lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home
Jaelyn Joiner and extend the lead to 6-4.
The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the seventh, placing two runners on and scoring one on a sacrifice fly to pull within two. With the tying run at the plate, the Tars held firm to secure the victory.
Camila Leon-Blanco earned the complete-game win in the circle, striking out four while improving to 5-2 on the season.
Game Two – Embry-Riddle 3, Rollins 2
Offense was hard to come by early in game two, as neither team broke through during the first three innings.
Embry-Riddle eventually took advantage in the fourth, using two hits and a Rollins error to plate a pair of runs and move ahead 2-0.
Both sides remained quiet until the seventh, when Rollins mounted a late rally. With two outs,
Alondra Maldonado-Ortiz worked a pinch-hit walk, and
Daylin Hejtmanek followed with another free pass to put the tying run aboard.
Kaeli Zahradnik then drew a walk to load the bases for
Claire Long.
Long delivered in the clutch, sending a ball into left center for a ground-rule double that scored two runs and tied the game at 2-2.
Embry-Riddle answered in the bottom half. A leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt moved the winning run into scoring position, and consecutive hits allowed the Eagles to walk off with the 3-2 victory.
Rollins moves to 16-6 overall and 5-4 in SSC play. The Tars return to the road Wednesday, March 18, for a 2 p.m. / 4 p.m. doubleheader against Valdosta State.
