Pirates Open the Season 4-0

The Pensacola State softball team opened their 2022 campaign in Clearwater, Florida this past weekend at the JUCO Kickoff Classic. The Pirates went 4-0 on the weekend including a solid win over preseason ranked no. 15 Indian River State College. Continue reading below for individual game recaps.

PSC 5 St. Pete 2

In the first game of the season the Pirates defeated St. Petersburg 5-2. 

Tori Ratigan started the game with a single and stole second base before advancing to third on a ground out. This set her up to score on a sacrifice fly to left field from Jenna Trim and give the Pirates a 1-0 lead.

St. Pete tied the game in the bottom half of the inning courtesy of a leadoff single and well placed ground balls.

After starting the top of the third with two outs Abby Gatza and Cameron Buzzell reached on back to back singles and Cameron Wolfenden walked to load the bases. Kelsi Bargman struck a ball that the pitcher misplayed and allowed the go ahead run to cross the plate.

Ratigan got things going again in the top of the fourth with a single and advanced to third on a double off the bat of Susanna Soldi. Both runners were driven in on a double from Brianna Duggins to make it 4-1. The Pirates pushed one more run across when Cameron Buzzell drove a ball to the second baseman that she could not handle.

St. Pete rounded out the scoring in the bottom of the sixth when Mya Geros made a diving catch that the runner on third was able to tag up on.

Tori Ratigan ended the game going 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Brianna Duggins also was 2-for-3 with two RBI's. 

Jenna Trim got the start in the circle and threw five innings and struck out six while only giving up two hits and one earned run. Lydia Drake came in to close the game out in relief and only allowed one hit while recording two strikeouts.

PSC 16 SC Union 0 (5 innings)

The Pirate bats showed up in the second game of the day against South Carolina Union as the Pirates pounded out 16 runs and ended the game in five innings.

Georgia Hood set the pace in the game going 3-for-3, all doubles and drove in eight RBI's.

PSC notched nine runs in the third innings when Hood, Jenna Trim, Tori Ratigan, Susanna Soldi and Brianna Duggins all drove in RBI's.

Avery Beauchaine started the game on the rubber and threw four innings without giving up a hit. She struck out three batters. Presley Williams made her first appearance in relief and the lefty only allowed one hit and struck out two in one inning of work.

Tori Ratigan was perfect at the plate going 2-for-2 with two walk, a stolen base and scored four runs. Cameron Buzzell was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored while Jenna Trim contributed a double and drove in three runs.

East Georgia State 0 PSC 8

Saturday proved to be a chilly and windy day and it took the Pirates a few innings to get warmed up against East Georgia State. 

In the bottom of the second Cameron Wolfenden singled with one out and Tori Ratigan walked with two outs before Susanna Soldi drove a ball to the wall in right center for 2-RBI double. 

The bats really came alive in the fifth inning when Jenna Trim started things with a double and Cameron Buzzell walked. Cameron Wolfenden then recorded a sacrifice fly to plate the Pirates third run. Mya Geros singled and then Ratigan singled and drove in a run. After a Soldi drew a walk Georgia Hood smacked a homerun to right field and ended the game early.

Tori Ratigan, Susanna Soldi, Georgia Hood, Jenna Trim and Cameron Wolfenden each recorded two hits in the game while Hood had three RBI's and Soldi and Ratigan had two.

Georgia Hood made her first start and threw a complete game while striking out 10 and only allowing one hit.

Indian River State 3 PSC 5

The final game of the weekend was against no. 15 ranked Indian River State College. 

The Pioneers got on the board in the top of the second courtesy of a passed ball and they added another run in the top of the fourth for a 2-0 cushion.

Pensacola answered in the bottom of the inning when Jenna Trim led off with a single, Abby Gatza was hit by a pitch and Cameron Buzzell drew a walk to load the bases. Cameron Wolfenden drove a sacrifice fly to centerfield to plate one run and pull the Pirates within one.

Tori Ratigan led off the fifth with a single and with one out Georgia Hood stepped to the plate and belted a homerun to give PSC a 3-2 lead. 

The Pirates added some insurance runs in the sixth when Buzzell doubled to start things and Wolfenden was hit by a pitch and Isabelle Hanna walked to load the bases. Mya Geros then doubled to left field to drive in two runs. 

Indian River threatened in the bottom of the seventh when their leadoff hit a solo homerun, but the Pirate defense buckled down and ended the game.

Mya Geros was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI's while Georgia Hood collected her second homerun and had two RBI's. 

In her first start of the season, Lydia Drake went the distance and scattered six hits while striking out five and allowing two earned runs.

Pensacola will host a tournament at home this upcoming weekend on Friday and Saturday.