ELON, N.C. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team fell to both Presbyterian and Norfolk State on Saturday at the Elon Phoenix Tournament. The Knights were unable to avoid the big inning as both opponents had two innings each of three runs or more.
Game 1: Presbyterian 12, Fairleigh Dickinson 5
Fairleigh Dickinson (1-12) got out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. After
Summer Mendoza got hit by a pitch and
Madison Emerson reached on a fielder's, Kellie Nathm brought home both runners with a double down the left field line. Natham's 10th and 11th RBI of the season.
In the bottom half f the inning, Presbyterian (9-13) answered with three runs to take a 3-2 lead. The Blue Hose were aided by two errors and a pair of walks. Hope Rodgers drove in two with a double to score first two, and the third came in on one of the errors by the Knights.
After neither team had scored in the second of the third inning, the Knights got three in the top of the fourth.
In the inning, Natham singled to start then
Ana Hayes walked. Villalobos then reached on a Blue Hose error that scored Natham to make it a 3-3 game.
Cheryl Lopez was the next hitter, and she brought in Hayes with a single, fourth RBI of the season for Lopez.
The Knights were then able to load the bases on a
Holly Mercier walk. After a fielder's choice, Mendoza drew a four-pitch walk to force in Villalobos to conclude the scoring for the Knights.
Over the next three innings, the Blue Hose would score one in the fourth, six in the fifth and two more in the sixth to take a 12-5 lead and the win.
Baylee Ports (0-1) started and went four and third while being charged with nine earned runs. Alex Cook went four innings for the Blue Hose to earn the win.
Offensively for the Knights, Natham had two hits along with the two RBI and scored a run.
Reanna Cervantes went 3-for-4 to extend her hit streak to six games. The sophomore has reached base in 10 straight contests.
Game 2: Norfolk State 7, Fairleigh Dickinson 1
Like in game one, there were runs scored in the first inning of game two for Fairleigh Dickinson (1-13) on Saturday, but it was Norfolk State (7-6) that scored three runs in the first inning to take the early lead.
The three runs for the Spartans came on one swing from Kylee Lopez with two outs in the bottom half of the first.
A RBI double down the left field line from
Francine Villalobos in the top of the second inning for the Knights within two.
Jaymee Jackson scored for the first time in a Knight uniform.
Norfolk State did the rest of their scoring in the bottom of the third inning. The Spartans scored four times on two hits and error. The first run of the inning scored on a fielding error. The second cross the plate after a sacrifice fly to center. Julianne Gillo then singled with two outs to center to plate the final two runs.
Fairleigh Dickinson was able to get runners on the fifth and loaded the bases in the seventh, but Hunter Halford got out of both situations without allowing the Knights to get any runners home. In the seventh, the Knights loaded the bases with one away, but a force at home and a ground out to third ended the threat and the game.
Offensively, both Villalobos and
Stephanie Collins went 2-for-3 on the day. Reanna Cervantes went 1-for-4 to extend her hitting streak to seven games.
Irene Herrera (0-3) went three innings and allowed seven runs, but only three were earned.
Madison Emerson came on in relief and pitched three shutout innings. Halford got the win for the Spartans to move to 5-3 on the season.
The Knights play one final game down in Elon on Sunday morning at 10:45 a.m. against Presbyterian before traveling back home.
