GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Spring Hill College softball team played two on Sunday at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex. However, the Badgers came up short in both contests, losing to the Northeastern State Riverhawks, 10-6, and the Rogers State Hillcats, 8-5.
Northeastern State 10, Spring Hill 6
The Riverhawks scored two in the bottom of the first to grab an early lead. In the second,
Abigail Christ notched an RBI when she reached on an error, allowing
Destiny Pierce to score.
SHC took the lead in the third. The rally started with Pierce drawing a bases-loaded walk, and Jessalyn Gordon scored from third.
Bethany Ahrens doubled to center field for two RBIs as the hit knocked in
Meadow Villar and
Meredith Fontenot.
Natalee Curry capped the rally with an RBI, allowing Pierce to come in and put the Badgers ahead 5-2.
NSU's bats started to get hot in the middle innings as the Riverhawks scored four runs in the third and four runs in the fourth to take a 10-5 lead.
In the fifth,
Amanda Glowacki reached on a fielder's choice for an RBI, and
Kayla Coley-Drayton scored to cut the margin to 10-6. However, the comeback effort wouldn't advance further as NSU grabbed the victory.
Janci Aube turned in a multi-hit performance, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Pierce went 1-for-1 with three walks, two runs, and an RBI. Ahrens finished with the two-RBI double, and
Kelci O'Dell stole a base.
Ahrens (1-1) pitched 2.2 innings, struck out a batter, and allowed six hits, six earned runs, and a walk.
Leighanna Turk pitched 0.2 innings and surrendered four earned runs, four hits, and walked two batters.
Emma Curry went 2-2 innings and allowed four hits.
Rogers State 8, Spring Hill 5
RSU posted five runs to start the matchup with a score in the second inning and four more in the top of the fourth.
In the bottom of the fourth, Christ singled through the right side to knock in Pierce. Christ followed by scoring a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 5-2.
The Hillcats added a run in the fifth to go up 6-2. However, Spring Hill responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning, starting with an RBI single from Pierce to bring in Fontenot.
Molly Pitts grounded out to third, but received an RBI when Pierce scored on the play. Coley-Drayton capped the big inning and scored on a wild pitch to move the tally to 6-5.
Rogers State responded in the top of the seventh with two runs to extend the advantage to 8-5, which held as the final to hand the Hillcats the win.
Pierce led the way at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance, adding two runs, a double, and an RBI.
Emma Curry (0-2) pitched six innings, threw five strikeouts, and allowed nine hits and three earned runs. Turk came in for an inning of relief and finished with a strikeout, two walks, one hit allowed, and an earned run.
Spring Hill College now prepares for the home opening doubleheader at Murray Field against Gulf South Conference opponent Delta State, starting at 1 p.m.
