DeLand, Fla. - Rallies in the opponent's final turn at bat undid the Stetson softball team (5-6) twice on Friday during the Hatter Classic at Patricia Wilson Field. Boston College scored five runs in the seventh inning to beat the Hatters 5-2 in the afternoon and Bethune-Cookman scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth to make off with a 3-2 win over Stetson in the nightcap. Senior center fielder Amy Joyce (Lake Mary, Fla.) paced Stetson at the plate with four hits and three stolen bases on the day.
Freshman Courtney Gunby (Bishop, Ga.) and Boston College hurler Taylor Peyton locked horns in an excellent pitching duel in the first game as both pitchers took shutouts into the seventh inning. Gunby had a no-hitter going through four and two-thirds innings until right fielder Nicole D'Argento broke it up with a bloop double to short center field.
Eagles designated player Amy Tunstall broke the scoreless tie with a solo home run into the left field bleachers with one out in the seventh. Boston College then struck for four more runs to take a 5-0 lead into the home half of the final inning. The Hatters didn't go down quietly as junior left fielder Rachel Lowe (Okeechobee, Fla.) worked an 11-pitch at-bat against D'Argento, who came on in relief of Peyton to start the seventh, before lashing a two-out, bases-loaded double to right center field to bring in two runs and bring the tying run to the plate. That was as close as Stetson would get however, as BC made another pitching change and Allison Gage recorded the final out for the save.
Gunby struck out five in the complete game effort while Peyton allowed just two hits and struck out three in six scoreless innings to earn the win for Boston College. Joyce and sophomore right fielder Brittany Knipp (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) had stolen bases for Stetson.
In the nightcap, center fielder Ashton Hinds gave B-CU a 1-0 lead on a two-out RBI triple in the third; she was thrown out at the plate attempting to score on an errant throw. Stetson went ahead 2-1 in the top of the fifth when senior pinch hitter Amanda Lindsey (Byhalia, Miss.) belted an Allison Garcia offering over the left field wall for a two-run home run. Lindsey's 16th career longball tied her with Holly Burris '03 and former teammate Lindsay Wightman '08 for fourth in Stetson program history.
That lead looked well on its way to standing up as Stetson found itself just four outs away from victory with the tying run on second base. A dropped pop-up gave Bethune-Cookman new life, however, and third baseman Liz Parrrish made the Hatters pay with an RBI single to right field, plating Garcia with the tying run. The throw to the plate attempting to cut down Garcia hopped away, allowing Toni Davis to rush home with what proved to be the winning run. A two-out Stetson rally in the seventh would fall short of tying the game.
Joyce went three for three with two stolen bases against the Wildcats while Parrish and shortstop Aurelia Gamsh had two hits for B-CU. Garcia got the win in relief while Gunby, who relieved senior Nicole Peltz (Navarre, Fla.) to start the fifth inning, was tagged with the loss despite not allowing an earned run.
In other action Friday at the Hatter Classic, Boston College blanked Albany 4-0 and Bethune-Cookman nipped Albany 2-1. The tournament resumes tomorrow at 11 a.m.; Stetson takes on Albany at 4 p.m. and Boston College again at 6:30 p.m. Live Stats and Hatter Vision are available as always at www.GoHatters.com.
