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CLERMONT, Fla. (March 4) - The Saint Vincent softball team totaled 24 runs on day one of their annual stay at the PFX Spring Games in Florida. The Bearcats escaped with an 8-6 victory in the opener against Mount Ida College before using powerful offense to overwhelm the College of St. Elizabeth in game two.
Game 1 Recap - Saint Vincent 8, Mount Ida 6
Saint Vincent got off to a slow start in the season opener, as the Mustangs plated three runs in the top of the first inning, which included a three-run homer. However, the Bearcats weathered the storm, answering back with six runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Morgan Murphy started the rally with a one out single and came around to score on a double by
Courtney Patterson. Saint Vincent would scored the next five runs with two outs, which included RBI single by
Lauren Miller, a two-run double by
Victoria Culver and an RBI double each by
Kelsey Hunter and
Kelly Flaherty. The outburst gave Saint Vincent a 6-4 lead entering the fifth when Miller tacked on another RBI double to stretch the lead to 7-4.
Mount Ida would tack on two runs in the top of the fifth to pull within a run. Patterson would give SVC an insurance run with an RBI double in the fifth.
Freshman
Alona Sleith would make that lead stand up, earning the victory in the circle in game one, topping the Mustangs in her collegiate pitching debut.
Patterson put together a fine start to her senior season, going 4-for-4 at the plate. Miller went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double. Flaherty added a multi-hit effort with two hits in the win.
Game 2 Recap - Saint Vincent 16, College of St. Elizabeth 6
It was Sleith's bat that helped power the Bearcats to victory against CSE. After both teams were held in check offensively through the first three innings,
Emily Duerr lifted her fourth career home run over the fence to give SVC a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning. CSE would quickly tie the contest, using a leadoff single, a stolen base and a RBI single to make the score 1-1 after four.
In the fifth inning the Bearcat bats came to life, as Culver and
Morgan Rittenhouse led off with back-to-back with home runs to make it 3-1 SVC. The homers were the first career dingers for the two sophomores.
Shelby Noel would smack a pinch hit single before giving way to Murphy, who stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Duerr used a sac fly to score Murphy, pushing the SVC edge to 4-1.
Miller singled and scored on Sleith's first collegiate home run to make it 6-1. After
Rachel Harenchar tripled down the right field line,
Erica Smiley scored her with an RBI single to make it 7-1. SVC would tack on another to tally seven runs in the inning and make it 8-1.
CSE would get two back in the bottom of the inning after being aided by a leadoff error, closing the deficit to 8-3. Saint Vincent responded with another home run when Sleith sent a high fly over the fence in left field. Sleith's second home run of the day made it 11-3 after the top of the sixth. CSE would answer back with three runs in the bottom of the frame to force a seventh inning. The SVC offense didn't let up, scoring five more runs in the final inning of the day. The big hit in the seventh was a two-run triple by Duerr.
Riley Assalone picked up her first collegiate victory in the nightcap. Assalone worked 6.0 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits. The freshman struck out five and walked two.
Sleith finished with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, adding two home runs and five RBI. Sleith also walked twice to reach base four times. Duerr tallied four RBI in her multi-hit effort, while Culver went 3-for-3 off the bench with a home run. Rittenhouse finished with three hits, including her first home run.
Saint Vincent (2-0) faces the Catholic University of America (3-1) on Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. before taking on North Central University (0-0) for a night game at 7 p.m. Both games will be played at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla.
