DeLand, Fla. - Freshman second baseman Jordan Cleghorn (Ball Ground, Ga.) hit a three-run home run, the first of her career, with two out in the seventh inning to lift the Stetson softball team (7-6) to a 5-3 win over Boston College (5-3) in the finale of the Hatter Classic Sunday evening at Patricia Wilson Field. The Hatters defeated Albany 5-1 in their first game of the day; senior pitcher Amanda Lindsey (Byhalia, Miss.) and senior center fielder Amy Joyce (Lake Mary, Fla.) set Stetson career records for strikeouts and runs scored during today's action.
The Hatters trailed BC 3-2 with two out and nobody on in the top of the seventh (Stetson played as the designated visiting team) when they got to work on the winning rally. Junior third baseman Jill Semento (Umatilla, Fla.) singled into center field and senior designated player Katie Lawrence (Hilliard, Fla.) walked, bringing Cleghorn to the plate. The freshman worked the count to 2-1 and then drove Eagles reliever Taylor Peyton's next pitch high over the left center field fence to put Stetson ahead 5-3, setting off a raucous Hatter celebration at home plate.
Freshman pitcher Courtney Gunby (Bishop, Ga.) set Boston College down in order in the bottom of the seventh to preserve her first career win; Gunby finished the game by retiring 10 consecutive BC batters. She struck out four in a complete game effort.
Joyce and Lawrence had two hits apiece for the Hatters. Lawrence opened the scoring for Stetson with an RBI single in the first inning; a second Stetson run scored on a throwing error after a bunt single from sophomore right fielder Brittany Knipp (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) in the top of the second. The Lawrence single enabled Joyce to cross home plate for the 121st time in her career, breaking a record previously held by Class of 2006 alumnae Melissa Wiggins and Shawna Wiggs.
Brittany Wilkins and Nicole D'Argento homered for Boston College in the contest; D'Argento's solo shot in the bottom of the third gave the Eagles the 3-2 lead they would hold until the seventh inning.
Earlier this afternoon Stetson scored three runs in the first inning and went on to claim a 5-1 victory over Albany (1-3). Sophomore shortstop Chelsey Trotto (Lantana, Fla.) slashed an RBI double down the left field line to score Joyce, who had reached on a leadoff walk. One batter later, Lawrence belted a two-run home run off Albany pitcher Marissa Powell. Back-to-back RBI singles from Lindsey and senior catcher Jessica Lokeinsky (Cooper City, Fla.) in the fifth made it a 5-0 ballgame.
The Great Danes would score on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth but get no closer. Lindsey struck out six batters in three and a third innings of relief to pick up her sixth win of the season; her strikeout of Albany left fielder Nicole Kothe in the fifth inning was the 625th of her career and moved Lindsey ahead of former teammate Erica Demers '09 into first place on the Stetson all-time K list.
Joyce went two for three with three stolen bases while Gunby struck out five in three and two-thirds scoreless innings to start the ballgame. Andrianna Walraven went three for four with a stolen base to lead the Albany offense; Powell recorded five strikeouts.
In other action at the Hatter Classic, Albany defeated Bethune-Cookman 6-1 and Boston College downed B-CU 6-2. The Eagles claimed the tournament championship with a 3-1 record in the rain-shortened event.
The Hatters are back in action next weekend at Patricia Wilson Field to host the Stetson Invitational; Volusia County rival Bethune-Cookman returns to lead a field that also includes Appalachian State and Maine. Live Stats and Hatter Vision will cover all the bases all weekend long only at www.GoHatters.com.
