DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson softball team (28-19, 10-6 Atlantic Sun) rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat visiting A-Sun rival Mercer (22-27, 4-10 A-Sun) 5-4 in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader at Patricia Wilson Field. The win completed a sweep for the Hatters, who took the opener 2-1 and have now won four straight overall and six in a row at home.
Stetson trailed in the second game 3-0 with two out in the bottom of the sixth and 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh before pulling out the come-from-behind win. Tonight marked Stetson's third win of the season in which it trailed or was tied after six innings and its fifth when trailing or tied after five. On the season, the Hatters have outscored their opponents 44-20 in the last two innings of regulation.
With two on and two out in the bottom of the sixth, junior third baseman Katelyn Perna (St. Petersburg, Fla.) delivered a two-run single to right center that cut the deficit to 3-2. Senior catcher Jessica Lokeinsky (Cooper City, Fla.) was thrown out at third on the play to end the inning, but would make up for it in a big way the next time around the lineup.
Mercer third baseman Emi Sherrill delivered a two-out RBI double in the top of the seventh that extended her team's lead to 4-2, but senior first baseman Amanda Lindsey (Byhalia, Miss.) erased that insurance run with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the seventh against Jenni Holtz, her eighth round-tripper of the year. Freshman second baseman Jordan Cleghorn (Ball Ground, Ga.) then wound up on second base after her long fly to center field was dropped.
A walk and an error on a bunt attempt then loaded the bases for senior designated player Katie Lawrence (Hilliard, Fla.); Kari Chambers, the Mercer starting pitcher who had re-entered in relief of Holtz two batters earlier, walked her to force in the tying run. The bases remained loaded for Lokeinsky, who smacked an 0-2 pitch back up the middle for a walk-off RBI single and the 5-4 Stetson victory. Junior pinch hitter Jill Semento (Umatilla, Fla.) scored the game-winner. Holtz was charged with four unearned runs in the loss; she struck out four.
Freshman Courtney Gunby (Bishop, Ga.) earned her first career Atlantic Sun Conference win in relief for the Hatters after allowing one run on three hits and a walk in three innings with four strikeouts. Lokeinsky finished with two hits and junior right fielder Rachel Lowe (Okeechobee, Fla.) picked up her second stolen base of the season.
Center fielder Stephanie Canara put the Bears ahead 2-0 in the top of the second with a two-run home run; that lead was extended to 3-0 on a Sherrill RBI double in the third.
The Hatters scratched across a single run against Holtz on a suicide squeeze in the first game's opening inning. Senior center fielder Amy Joyce (Lake Mary, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to lead off, stole second and went to third on sophomore shortstop Chelsey Trotto's (Lantana, Fla.) bunt single; Lokeinsky then dropped a bunt down the first base line and Joyce beat the throw to the plate.
Stetson only managed one more hit until the bottom of the fifth when Lowe pinch hit for sophomore left fielder Brittany Knipp (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) and crushed Holtz's first pitch deep over the left field fence for her third home run of the season. That blast put the Hatters ahead 2-0.
Lindsey inherited a no-hitter after two innings from senior starter Nicole Peltz (Navarre, Fla.) and took that status into the seventh inning. Mercer catcher Kristin Marko erased any thoughts of a combined no-hitter or a shutout by homering to left field on the first pitch of the inning, bringing the Bears within 2-1. Lindsey coolly struck out the next two batters and retired Canara on a groundout to end the game.
Lindsey struck out six batters to earn her 20th win of the season; Knipp had Stetson's only other base hit in the first game. Joyce stole her league-leading 29th base while Lokeinsky recorded her first career stolen base.
Stetson is back in action at home Saturday at 1 p.m. as Kennesaw State comes to Patricia Wilson Field for an A-Sun doubleheader. Live Stats and Jamie Bataille's Hatter Vision broadcast are available at www.GoHatters.com, the online home of Stetson Athletics.
