DeLand, Fla. — The Stetson University softball team opened the Frank Griffin Classic in emphatic fashion on Friday, improving to 2-0 with a pair of run-rule victories over UT Martin, 12-4, and Seton Hall, 12-2, at Patricia Wilson Field. The wins marked the first time in program history that Stetson has opened a season with two run-rule victories. The Hatters also scored 24 runs on opening day — their most in a season opener since 1993, when Stetson plated 26 against Bethune-Cookman.
Game 1: Stetson 12, UT Martin 4
Stetson set the tone early against UT Martin, using a five-run fourth inning to seize control of the game. The Skyhawks struck first in the second inning, as Teagan Hayes tripled to drive in Dylan Scott. The Hatters answered immediately in the bottom half, when
Berkley Demetter singled to right to score
Gaby Bauer and even the score at 1–1. Demetter went on to collect a multi-hit game in her collegiate debut.
The Hatters' power surge began in the third inning, when
Mason Barclay launched a grand slam to deep left field to give Stetson a 5–2 advantage. Stetson continued to pressure UT Martin in the fourth, scoring five more runs.
Nicole Edmiaston delivered the big blow with a bases-clearing double, while Bauer added a sacrifice fly as the Hatters pushed the lead to 10–3.
Irianis Garcia provided the final exclamation point in the fifth inning, blasting a two-run walk-off home run — her first of the season — to secure the 12–4 victory. The blast marked the first walk-off home run at Patricia Wilson Field since 2023.
In the circle,
Kennedy Temples earned the win after tossing four innings, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits while striking out five and issuing no walks.
Jenna Johnston closed out the game in relief, retiring the side in the fifth on just 12 pitches.
Garcia finished with two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Barclay drove in five runs with her home run. Edmiaston added two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored.
Game 2: Stetson 12, Seton Hall 2
The Hatters carried their offensive momentum into the nightcap against Seton Hall, scoring early and often.
Annabella McClerren opened the first inning with a single, followed by hits from Edmiaston and
Logan Forman to load the bases.
Madison Quinn drew a walk to bring in the first run, and Bauer followed with a two-RBI single to give Stetson a 3–1 lead.
Stetson broke the game open in the second inning with six runs. Edmiaston crushed a three-run home run — her first of the season — while Bauer added an RBI double and Barclay capped the frame with a two-run single to make it 9–1.
The Hatters added three more runs in the third inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Forman and an RBI single by Quinn, extending the lead to 12–1.
Ava Braswell was dominant in the circle, pitching a complete game while allowing just four hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts, as Stetson cruised to the 12–2 win.
Forman led the offense with three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs. Edmiaston drove in three runs and crossed the plate three times, while McClerren recorded two hits and scored twice.
Following the sweep, head coach
Shellie Cousins credited the Hatters' relaxed approach and balanced performance.
"I think the girls were just excited to hit against somebody that wasn't their own pitcher, and they were relaxed," Cousins said. "And when you're relaxed, good things happen."
Cousins also praised the pitching staff's efficiency and trust in the defense. "Ten innings and only giving up two walks for our pitchers is huge for us. They attack the zone and trust their defense. That's what we can do when everything's running on all cylinders."
The Frank Griffin Classic continues on Saturday, Feb. 7 with the Hatters taking on Indiana State and UT Martin beginning at 3 p.m. at Patricia Wilson Field.
Article partially generated with FanWord.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
