The Pensacola State (PSC) softball team opened their season in Clearwater, FL at the JUCO Kickoff Classic this past weekend. The Pirates went 2-1 over the weekend dropping one game to nationally ranked College of Central Florida and then picking up two run-rule wins. The scheduled fourth game of the weekend against Indian River was canceled. Please continue reading below for individual game recaps.
Central Florida 4 PSC 1
Both pitchers came out strong and the game remained scoreless until the third inning when Central Florida got on the board courtesy of an RBI double. The Pirates answered in their half of the inning when Monique Poitevin led off with a walk and later scored on an RBI single from Maddy Childs to tie the game.
A homeun in the top of the fourth put the Patriots back in front and unfortunately the Pirates bats went cold the rest of the game. Central Florida added a run each in the sixth and seventh to secure the 4-1 win.
Jorja Barrett went the distance on the mound for PSC and struck out for while only allowing two earned runs.
St. John's River 0 PSC 10 (5 innings)
The Pensacola bats came alive in the second game of the day against St. John's River and PSC put 10 runs on the board to go along with a masterfully pitched game by freshman Avery Beauchaine. Beauchaine was one out away from a perfect game, but still secured a no-hitter in her first college start.
Jessica Ford helped lead the Pirates to victory by going 2-for-3 with a monster 3-run homerun in the third inning. Seven other Pirates recorded hits with Ellie Hansen chipping in an RBI double and freshman Jenna Trim getting her first collegiate with with a 2-RBI single. Freshmen Mya Geros and Abby Gatza collected their first collegiate hits in the game as well.
Beauchaine carved through the St. John's lineup and struck out two batters while only allowing one baserunner due to a hit by pitch.
PSC 12 Lake-Sumter 3
The Pirates did not waste anytime getting on the board on Saturday when they utilized an error to plate one run and then an RBI single from Ellie Hansen gave them a two run lead in the first inning.
The score remained 2-0 until Lake-Sumter pushed one run across in the bottom of the third inning. Pensacola responded in the top of the fourth when Jenna Trim drove a triple to right field and then scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Monique Poitevin.
In the bottom of the fourth the Lakehawks used a double to tie the game at three but then the flood gates opened for PSC in the top of the fourth. Mya Geros was hit by a pitch and then scored on a double from Susanna Soldi. Soldi then scored on a single from Maddy Childs and Jessica Ford legged out an infield single to set the table for Trim to drive them both in with a double. Poitevin walked to the plate and stroke another double to plate Trim and after a walk to Abby Gatza freshman pinch hitter Kelsi Bargman banged a bases clearing triple to make it 10-3 Pirates.
The sixth inning saw Pensacola make the most of singles from Soldi, Ford and Hansen to extend round out the scoring and make it 12-3.
Jorja Barrett started the game and threw five innings while scattering six hits and striking out five for the win. Freshman Heleena Reinhardt made her first appearance of the year in the circle in the sixth where she closed out the game by striking out two.
The Pirates will host a round robin of games of Friday and Saturday at home. They will play at 11:30 and 1:30 on Friday and at 9:30 and 11:30 on Saturday.