The softball team had a packed schedule over the weekend. The Bucs traveled to Nashville to take on three teams in the Tiger Classic: Marist College, Portland State and Tennessee State.
The Bucs took on the Marist Red Foxes first on Friday. The game went into extra innings with the Bucs coming out on top, 12-10. This marks the first extra inning game of the season.
The Red Foxes got on the board first with an RBI double. The momentum shifted to the Bucs’ corner in the second inning with a five-run score. Freshman Jordan Durbin (Mechanicsville, Virginia) struck with an RBI double, then sophomore Kelly Warren (Mechanicsville, Virginia) hit an RBI single to give the Bucs the lead 5-1.
The Red Foxes responded with five hits on their own at the bottom of the third, giving them the lead at 6-5.
Junior Nikki Grupp (Jacksonville, Florida) hit a two-run shot to center field to get the momentum back for the Bucs.
Kylie Toler (Bradenton, Florida) secured a successful hit to left field to regain the lead 8-6.
The Red Foxes scored two more runs to push it into extra innings.
Senior Malloree Schurr (Montgomery, Texas) then claimed a three-run score to push the Bucs 11-8.
Toler bunted the ball to secure an RBI on Schurr, and extended the Bucs’ lead to four runs.
After day one, the Bucs went into a double-header on Saturday. The first game was a close one over the Portland State Vikings.
The Bucs got an early start in the second inning with three runs when Tiffany Laughren (Erwin, Tennessee) hit a two-run RBI to send Andrea Sarhatt (Knoxville, Tennessee) and Grupp home for a 3-0 lead.
The Vikings tied it up in the third and didn’t score again until the sixth with two runs. The Bucs railed three more runs in the final inning to secure the win.
The Bucs’ final game was against the Tennessee State Tigers. Like the other two games of the series, the Bucs kept it close but fell 4-3 in the final inning.
Even with a busy schedule, the Bucs are still persevering with wins.
“Doubleheaders are normal for us,” said head coach Brad Irwin. “We try to incorporate balance with these games.”
The Bucs’ record stands at 10-5-2. They continue action in a double-header against USC Upstate on Wednesday.
