CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Chadron State College softball team suffered two close losses in its first day of the 2015 season at the Eckerd College Invitational
Friday. The Eagles have four more games in Florida, beginning with
Saturday's contests against Saint Leo University and No. 17-ranked University of Tampa at
11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Chadron State began its day facing the host, Eckerd College, in a 4-3 loss. CSC played back-to-back, where they fell to Barry University 4-2.
The Eagles came out swinging against Eckerd, loading the bases in the first inning with seniors
Rebecca Wetsch,
Jessica Eatmon and
Casey Polk. However, Eckerd's shortstop Kara Oberer made a leaping grab off of a
Katelyn Kruger line drive to save the Triton's from receiving any damage in the inning.
After a quick three outs, CSC catcher
Zoe Humphries launched a solo homerun to begin the scoring. Two batters later, shortstop
Courtney Lecher bombed a double, and in the next at bat second basemen
Taylor Bauer squeezed a shot past the opposing second basemen to bring Lecher home for a two-nothing lead.
Eckerd closed the gap in the third when Amber Hay scored off of a sacrifice bunt by Oberer to advance her to second and a single by Sydney Dinelli.
The Eagles would score again in the sixth off of a sacrifice bunt from
Caroline Johnson and a throwing error by first basemen Rachael Luckett.
CSC owned a 3-1 lead entering the seventh Dinelli launched a walk-off double with the bases loaded to end the game.
Following the defeat, Chadron State transferred fields and went right back to work, facing Barry University.
The Eagles surrendered a quick run in the first, and another two in the third before they were able to recover and find a defensive groove.
Entering the fifth inning, centerfielder
Morgan Wilhelm hit a double to get on, and was advanced the next play off of a
Bekka Prokaski sacrifice bunt. In the next at bat, Cierra Coslett singled to bring Wilhelm home and cut the lead to three-one.
In the sixth inning CSC cut the lead to one following a Lecher trip around the bases thanks to a Polk single. Barry responded by bringing its leadoff hitter Kayla Ogle around the bases off a Megan Copeland double.
Entering the seventh down two, CSC found hope when Coslett made it on base after being hit by a pitch. Humphries subbed in and hit a line drive single to advance Coslett, but Barry shortstop Fernandez found her way under a Lecher hit for the final out.
