DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson softball team (9-6) pounded out 26 hits and scored 18 runs in a Friday doubleheader to open the Stetson Invitational at Patricia Wilson Field. The Hatters beat Appalachian State 8-2 and Volusia County rival Bethune-Cookman 10-3. Sophomore shortstop Chelsey Trotto (Lantana, Fla.) went five for seven with four RBI on the day while senior designated player Katie Lawrence (Hilliard, Fla.) homered and drove in six runs. Sophomore left fielder Brittany Knipp (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) had five hits on the day as well.
In the opener against Appalachian State, the Hatters had to rally from a 2-0 deficit incurred on catcher Michelle Lighton's two-run homer in the top of the second. Stetson quickly struck for three runs in the bottom of the inning as the first run scored on an error and the other two came in the form of a bases-loaded walk and an RBI sacrifice fly. Junior third baseman Jill Semento (Umatilla, Fla.) got the free-pass RBI while Lawrence's fly-out to left field brought in Knipp with what proved to be the game-winning run.
Lawrence's two-out, two-run home run in the fourth provided some separation while Stetson completed the scoring the next inning as Trotto and Semento smacked back-to-back run-scoring doubles, Trotto's a two-run hit. Following Lighton's home run, the Mountaineers managed just one more hit the rest of the way against senior Amanda Lindsey (Byhalia, Miss.), who struck out eight and improved to 7-2 on the season.
Trotto was three for three against ASU while senior center fielder Amy Joyce (Lake Mary, Fla.) and Lindsey each had two-hit games. Starting pitcher Hannah Dow took the loss for Appalachian State.
The Hatters continued to swing hot bats as they took the field against Bethune-Cookman for the nightcap, scoring five runs in the top of the first and 10 in the first three innings. Lawrence and Lindsey came up with consecutive RBI singles and one batter later, senior catcher Jessica Lokeinsky (Cooper City, Fla.) slugged an Allison Garcia pitch over the right center field wall for a three-run blast, her first home run of the season, to make it 5-0. Lindsey made it 6-0 in her next turn at bat in the top of the second, waiting Garcia out for 12 pitches before drawing a bases-loaded walk.
Trotto and Lawrence each lined two-run singles into the outfield in the third inning to put the Hatters ahead 10-0 and into run-rule territory, but the Wildcats scored twice in the bottom of the third and once in the fourth to force the game to go the distance. Garcia went two for four with two RBI while second baseman Cesley Tafoya (two doubles) and third baseman Sabrina Ferguson each had two base hits for B-CU.
Knipp proved particularly impossible for Garcia and Bethune-Cookman to contain, going four for four with a double and a run scored on the evening. Freshman Courtney Gunby (Bishop, Ga.) earned her second win of the season with a complete-game effort, striking out six Wildcats. Garcia fanned five batters and kept Stetson off the scoreboard for the final four innings; she threw 159 pitches in the game and 204 overall on Friday.
In other Stetson Invitational action on Friday, Maine blanked Appalachian State 2-0 before falling 4-1 to Bethune-Cookman. The tournament continues with four games tomorrow; the Hatters face Maine at 4 p.m. and re-match with Appalachian State at 6:30 p.m. Live Stats and Jamie Bataille's Hatter Vision broadcast are available as always at www.GoHatters.com, the official online home of Stetson Athletics.
