DeLand, Fla. - The Stetson softball team had its most productive day at the plate in a dozen years, routing South Dakota State 10-2 and Bethune-Cookman 17-3 to open the Hatter Invitational on Friday at Patricia Wilson Field.  The last time the Hatters (3-3) scored more than 27 runs in a doubleheader was Feb. 20, 1999 against Palm Beach Atlantic.  Junior shortstop Chelsey Trotto (Lantana, Fla.) doubled, tripled and drove in four runs to lead 11 Hatters that had an RBI on the day.

STETSON 10, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 2 (6 INNINGS)

Stetson trailed 2-0 with one out in the bottom of the third when Trotto's two-run triple into the right field corner tied the score; she would cross the plate on a Pam Nicholson wild pitch to give the Hatters a lead they would not surrender.  Stetson broke the game open with five runs in the fifth; some shaky defense from the Jackrabbits helped matters along but sophomore catcher Jordan Cleghorn (Ball Ground, Ga.) and freshman center fielder Chrissy Morello (Ormond Beach, Fla.) each delivered RBI singles.

Sophomore pitcher Courtney Gunby (Bishop, Ga.) earned the win in relief with three scoreless innings of one-hit softball and helped her own cause at the plate with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.  Cleghorn finished with two RBI; Morello and Trotto each recorded stolen bases.  SDSU right fielder Krista Honken drove in both Jackrabbit runs.

The win over South Dakota State represented Frank Griffin's 500th victory as head coach at Stetson.

STETSON 17, BETHUNE-COOKMAN 3 (5 INNINGS)

The Hatters pounded B-CU pitchers Shanel Tolbert and Chastity Sanders for four runs in the second, eight runs in the third, three in the fourth and two more in the fifth for their highest single-game total in 12 seasons.  Junior left fielder Brittany Knipp (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) had a two-run single in the second while Cleghorn and sophomore designated player Chelsea Whalley (Calgary, Alta.) had two-run singles of their own in the eight-run third inning as Stetson went ahead 12-0.

Although designated player Allison Garcia would hit a three-run homer to get the Wildcats on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, Stetson got those runs right back in its half of the fourth frame.  Senior third baseman Jill Semento (Umatilla, Fla.) singled up the middle with the bases loaded to score two and junior first baseman Carolyn Boyd (Germantown, Tenn.) followed with an RBI single.  Senior right fielder Rachel Lowe (Okeechobee, Fla.) connected on Stetson's first home run of the season with a two-run shot off the scoreboard in left center in the top of the fifth to round out the scoring.

Every Stetson starter had a hit and the Hatters racked up 18 base hits in total.  Knipp and Semento both went three for three with two-hit nights for Trotto, Whalley and senior first baseman Katelyn Perna (St. Petersburg, Fla.).  Knipp, Lowe, Semento, Trotto, Whalley and sophomore second baseman Alyssa Oddo (Covina, Calif.) all had two RBI.

Gunby relieved freshman Meredith Owen (Jackson, Miss.) in the third and received her second win of the day with three strikeouts and just one hit allowed in two and a third innings to close out the game.  Tolbert took the loss for B-CU with five earned runs allowed in two-plus innings of work to start.

Kansas won the first two games of the day in the Hatter Invitational, shutting out South Dakota State 8-0 and hanging on to defeat Bethune-Cookman 7-4.  The Hatters face the Jayhawks (6-0) at 4 p.m. Saturday and re-match South Dakota State at 6:30 p.m.  Live Stats and Hatter Vision are available at GoHatters.com

STETSON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook - Stetson Athletics; Twitter - @StetsonSID; YouTube - StetsonHatters