Softball hosted Salem Community College from New Jersey on Thursday, March 7 for a doubleheader at JP Riddle Complex. The Trojans forced a 5-inning game one and held onto the lead in game two.
FTCC vs. Salem Community College- March 7 (8-0, win 5-innings & 5-3, win)
Game one
The Trojans were on fire with their offense in game one. They finished the game with 13 hits and scored 8 runs.
The first run for the Trojans was scored in the bottom of the first on a one out double from Morgan Brady (Fayetteville, NC) that scored Trinity Gaither (Bunnlevel, NC) who was hit by pitch previously in the inning.
The biggest inning for the Trojans was in the bottom of the second when they scored four runs on four hits to take the lead 5-0. Krista McLean (Dunn, NC) started off the inning with a single to left field and Alyssa Lauber (Lillington, NC) followed with a walk. With two outs, Isabella Finelli (Pembroke, NC) hit a line drive single to left field to load the bases. Gaither hit a single to right field and with a little help of a Mighty Oaks error, the Trojans plated two more. Brady gets her second hit of the day to earn two more RBIs before the third out of the inning.
The Trojans do not score again until the fourth inning. Finelli hit a one out double followed by singles from Gaither and Brady to score another run. Tamarah Lowery (Raeford, NC) gets an RBI on a ground ball to bring the Trojans lead to 7-0.
The final eighth run is scored in the bottom of the fifth to force a run rule game. McLean started off the inning with a single followed by a Salem error. With two outs and runners on the corners for the Trojans, Finelli gets her third hit on the day to score the last run to end the game.
Brady, McLean and Gaither all went perfect offensively. Finelli added three Trojan hits.
Lowery pitched 4.1 innings and Ava Basolt (Sanford, NC) came in to get the final two outs for the Trojans in the top of the fifth.
Game two
Game two was different then the first. The Mighty Oaks held the lead up until the bottom of the fifth inning.
Faith Martin (Gatesville, NC) started on the mound for the Trojans. She threw five innings, giving up eight hits and three runs and had four strikeouts. Basolt came in to pitch the final two innings giving up no hits, no runs and struck out four.
The Trojans scored one run in the bottom of the first to bring the game back within one run. Back to back singles led off the inning from Finelli and Gaither. With two outs, Kaylee Frank (Fayetteville, NC) singles up the middle to plate one.
Salem scored another run in the top of the third to increase their lead to 3-1.
The Trojans scored their next runs in the bottom of the fifth inning with five hits. Finelli led off the inning with another single. With one out, Brady hits a double down the left field line to put the game within one run. Lowery trades places with Brady as she hits a double off the right center fence to tie the game at three. Frank keeps the energy going for the Trojans as she singles to center field. With two outs and runners on the corners, Basolt hit the third double of the inning off the left center fence to give the Trojans their first lead of the game.
The Mighty Oaks started a rally in the sixth to try to get some momentum back, but were unable to score any runs as Basolt came back in to pitch.
The Trojans get one more safety run in the bottom of the sixth. Madeline Burns (Sanford, NC) started off the inning with a double over the left fielder’s head. With one out on a ground ball to advance the runner, Gaither walks to put runners on the corners. Brady hit a ground ball to short stop to score Burns from third base.
The Mighty Oaks went down one, two, three in the top of the seventh as Basolt struck out the side to end the game.
The Trojans had 11 hits in the game with four doubles. Finelli again went 3-4 to lead the offense.
The Trojans are back at home on Sunday, March 10 hosting Pitt Community College in a conference doubleheader. Start time was pushed back to 2pm.
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