Six games in three days made for a long stretch for the Pirate softball team, but they saw lots of progress and picked up three wins. They hosted no. 16 Chattanooga State in a doubleheader on Thursday before traveling to Gulf Shores, AL on Friday and Saturday. Continue reading below for individual game recaps.
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The Pirates lost the lead late in a 5-3 defeat to Chattanooga State in game one of their doubleheader on Thursday. The game was tied at three in the top of the seventh when Chattanooga used a double to score two runs and take the lead.
The Pirate bats came out hot in the first inning as Alexis Guzman homered on a 2-2 count to score two runs and then Ashley Valencia came up to the plate and smashed a solo homerun to make it 3-0.
Chattanooga strung together some hits in the sixth inning to pull even before taking the lead in the seventh and holding on for the win.
Shayne O'Connell threw a complete game and struck out eight while Guzman, Valencia, Kaeleen Koehler, Madison Myers and Raquel Latta each recorded hits for the Pirates.
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An error and fielder's choice allowed the Pirates to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. The score stayed the same until the third when Chattanooga used back-to-back hits to plate their first run and make it 2-1. The Pirates answered in the bottom of the third when a hard hit ground ball from Ashley Valencia plated a run making it 3-1 Pirates. Scoring continued in the fourth when Chattanooga used two doubles to pull within one run. Valencia drove a double to centerfield in the bottom of the fifth to give PSC a 4-2 lead. An error in the top of the sixth led to a tie ballgame as the teams headed to the seventh inning with a 4-4 score. The wheels fell off for the Pirates in the top of the seventh and a homerun led to them falling behind 8-4 and unfortunately they could not push any runs in their half of the inning and the game ended.
Kayla Leibman was 2-for-3 in the game while Valencia, Kaeleen Koehler, Alexis Guman and Raquel Latta each collected a hit in the game. Savannah Foster had a strong outing on the mound as she threw six innings and struck out 12.
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Pensacola State picked up their first win of the weekend with a 7-4 victory over Lurleen B. Wallace. Kaeleen Koehler kicked off the scoring in the first inning with a solo homerun to right field. The Pirates their lead in the second inning when Natalie Sorensen doubled and later scored on a single from Raquel Latta. Later in the inning RBI singles from Kayla Leibman and Koehler made the score 5-0. The scoring continued in the third when Destiny Pacetti drove in the sixth run of the game and Latta singled to score Pacetti making it 7-0. Wallace plated two runs each in the fourth and fifth inning before the defense held and the Pirates won.
Kaeleen Koehler was the leading hitter for the Pirates as she went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Raquel Latta finished the game going 2-for-3 with two RBI's. Savannah Foster picked up the win by throwing five innings and strking out four while Shayne O'Connell came on in the sixth inning to close out the game.
PSC 17 Coastal AL-North 1 (5 innings)
The Pirate offense exploded with 16 hits to score 17 runs in the nightcap against Coastal Alabama-North on Friday. Pensacola State scored each time they were up to bat with Kaeleen Koehler leading the way going 4-for-5 with three RBI. Madison Myers (stolen base) and Ashley Valencia (homerun & stolen base) both went 3-for-4 in the game. Raquel Latta (3 RBI & double) and Destiny Pacetti (2 RBI) both tallied two hits in the game.
Shayne O'Connell recorded the win for the Pirates as she only allowed three hits while striking out five.
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Saturday's first game of the day was a heartbreaker as the Pirates fell to Snead State 3-1. After Snead got on the board in the top of the first the Pirates evened the score when Madison Myers singled and promptly stole second base. She scored to tie the game at one courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Alexis Guzman. The game remained tied until the top of the seventh when Snead was able to push two runs across. Pensacola threatened in the bottom of the seventh by getting two runners on but a line out to center ended the game.
Myers was the only Pirate to get multiple hits in the game (2-for-4, SB) while Kayla Leibman, Kaeleen Koehler, Alexis Guzman, Kylie Chambers, Raquel Latta and Ana Reyes all collected one hit. Shayne O'Connell took the loss as she scattered eight hits and struck out seven.
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Kaeleen Koehler did the opposing team no favors in the last game on Saturday as she was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate to help lead the Pirates to a 15-7 victory. Koehler fell just short of the cycle as she homered, tripled and singled twice.
After scoring two runs in the first the Pirates exploded for eight runs in the third inning led by singles from Ana Reyes, Madison Myers, and Kayla Leibman, a triple and home run from Koehler and a double from Alexis Guzman.
Savannah Foster got the start for PSC and surrendered seven runs (only four earned) while striking out eight.
The Pirates tallied 15 hits in the game with Koehler (5 RBI's), Raquel Latta (3-for-3, RBI), Reyes (2-for-4, double, 2 RBI's), Alexis Guzman (2-for-3, double, 2 RBI) and Madison Myers (2-for-4, RBI, 2 stolen bases) all collecting multiple hits.
Pensacola State will return to action on Tuesday, February 19th when they host Coastal Alabama-South for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 pm.