DeLand, Fla. -- Stetson's Tori Perkins, who made her collegiate debut in the circle in relief on Saturday night, came back on Sunday in her first start, and the freshman didn't disappoint.
Perkins (1-0) scattered seven hits in a complete-game performance as Stetson defeated the visiting Rams 2-1 to finish the first weekend of the 2016 season with a 4-1 record. Fordham fell to 1-4 with the loss.
“I thought we had a very good weekend, especially the fact that in the four wins we played errorless ball,” Hatters head coach Frank Griffin said.
Griffin was especially pleased with his freshmen hurlers, two of whom earned three of the four victories while allowing just one run.
“We had an opportunity for those two freshmen to pitch and I thought Tori did an outstanding job today,” Griffin said. “It was her first start, and you are always nervous for that first start. She kept her composure and finished up strong for us at the end.
“Brooke Hutto pitched well for us with two shutouts and we are looking forward to seeing Curstin Taylor pitch on Friday when we play Georgia.”
The Hatters gave Perkins all the support she needed in the first inning, pushing across a pair of runs against Fordham's Rachel Gillen. Jessie Tenbroeck, Kayla Drury and Ashley Smith opened the inning with consecutive hits for Stetson to score one run and Jessica Griffin delivered a sacrifice fly one out later to score the second.
The three hits for the Hatters in the first accounted for 60 percent of Stetson's total off Gillen, who allowed just two hits and struck out four the rest of the way.
“They had a good, left-handed, pitcher with an excellent curveball,” Griffin said of Gillen. “Her location was good and we never made the adjustment to her curve. It is early, and pitchers are typically ahead of hitters this time of year. It takes about 50 at bats for the hitters to start catching up with the pitchers.”
To get the win, Perkins had to work out of trouble several times. She gave up hits in each of the first five innings, but her defense helped her get out of trouble.
The only time the Rams were able to dent the board was the fourth when Perkins hit Cailin Winokur to open the frame before surrendering consecutive hits to Stephanie Ferri and Lauren Quense to score a run. Perkins settled down after the run and retired the next three hitters to get out of the frame.
For the Hatters, Drury had two of the five hits in the game. Jessica Hughes led Fordham with three hits.
The Hatters will return to action on Friday in the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic at Lake Buena Vista. Stetson will face Georgia and the College of Charleston on Friday, UAB and Stephen F. Austin on Saturday and Missouri on Sunday.
“Both Georgia and Missouri have ranked teams,” Griffin said. “They have quality programs. It should be a good experience for us.”
Notes: The Hatters were 9-for-10 on stolen base attempts this weekend. Ashly Smith led the way with four steals ... Defensively, the Hatters have played errorless ball in four of the five games.
