Softball opens 2023 season in Florida
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Upper Iowa | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
|
American Int'l | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mercy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
|
American Int'l | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
American Int'l | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 2 |
|
Edinboro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | X | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Final (9) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
American Int'l | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
|
Shepherd | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
CLERMONT, Florida - The American International College softball team opened the 2023 season in Florida at THE Spring Games, and went 0-4 in the first two days of play despite some close contests.
The team fell 6-5 in nine innings to Shepherd and 6-1 to Upper Iowa on March 10, before dropping 5-4 and 3-2 decisions to Edinboro and Mercy on March 11.
AIC's first run of the season came in the second inning against Shepherd. With the bases loaded, team co-captain Victoria Andrade worked a walk. The Rams scored three in the home half of the third to take the lead, but AIC roared back, with Destiny McGrath drawing another bases loaded walk, Abigail Wells hitting into an RBI groundout, and Kodi Gora singling to drive home Sarah Falcone to put AIC back up. The Rams tied the game the following inning, and both teams scored in the first extra session thanks to a Brianna Harzula RBI, but the Rams held AIC off the board in the ninth before walking off winners.
A tough third frame did in the Yellow Jackets against Upper Iowa; the Peacocks scored five runs, of which only two were earned. AIC got one back in the fourth on a Samantha Sanchez RBI groundout but ultimately could not find any more offense in the setback.
On day two, Edinboro took a 3-0 lead on AIC in the fourth, but AIC countered with a big fifth inning. The Yellow Jackets put together four straight hits, with Laila Cofone bunting her way on and Wells following with a single. The duo advanced on a passed ball, and Cofone came home on a Mackenzie Berman single. The pair on base both then scored when Gora stung a double to left, and ultimately Gora was able to advance to third before being sacrificed home to give AIC the lead. Unfortunately, AIC could not hang on, as the Fighting Scots notched a run in each of the fifth and sixth frames to win 5-4.
Saturday's finale saw AIC take an early 2-0 lead in the second. Harzula was once again the key, smacking a two-run single to drive in Cofone and Alexis Jimenez. However, the Mavericks were able to take advantage of a three-base error with two outs in the fifth to score three runs, and that was the difference in the 3-2 Mercy victory.
AIC resumes action Monday, March 13 with battles against Slippery Rock and Illinois-Springfield.