WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Barry Buccaneers’ softball team split a pair of games Sunday at Rollins, dropping game one, 4-1, before bouncing back to take the series finale, 6-5, in extra innings.
Game One
Hailee Keisling led off the game with a walk and advanced to third following a fielder’s choice that placed her at second before stealing third. The Tars (23-9, 8-4 SSC) seized the opportunity and grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a throwing error that allowed Hailee Keisiling to score from third for their first run. Rollins added the second run on Veronica Alred’s RBI single.
Kristina Pazienza answered for the Bucs (19-10, 4-5) with a laser in the second. Her solo-homer to center cut the deficit to just one run, 2-1.
In the bottom of the third, after retiring the first two batters of the inning, the Tars put together another rally after a Bucs’ error extended the inning. Jule Kranza delivered a two-out two-RBI single to drive in Brittany Johnson and Alred.
The Bucs continued to hit hard shots throughout the game, but could not catch a break. In a pitcher’s duel, Stephanie Sullivan finished on the winning end after allowing just one run in 4.2 innings of work and striking out six.
Brittany Pugh was tagged with the loss for the Bucs, but the right-hander allowed just one earned run in six innings and struck out five.
Game Two
In the final game of the series, Julie Brito broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third inning with a three-run blast to right-center. Kayla Ogle and Megan Copeland kicked-off the rally with back-to-back liners to left and the both advanced into scoring position on Hunter Mars’ sacrifice bunt. Brito then delivered with a no-doubter over the right-field wall to give the Bucs a 3-0 lead.
Kelly Martinez sparked another rally in the top of the fourth with a free pass. Martinez advanced to second on a wild pitch and then to third on Ogle’s base hit to left. After Ogle stole third, Copeland laced a two-RBI single to left to plate Martinez and Ogle and give the Bucs a 5-0 lead.
After being spotted a five run lead, Buccaneers’ starter Taylor Sabol ran into some trouble in the bottom of the fourth. After giving up back-to-back solo-HR’s and a single, Pugh entered the game in relief of Sabol. However, Pugh struggled with her command and several questionable calls resulted in a bases loaded jam. With the bases loaded and no outs, Pugh got Gipson to ground into a fielder’s choice. With the infield in Martinez threw out Kranz at the plate to prevent a run from scoring. Pugh was then able to get Keisiling to pop-out for the second out, but the Bucs were not out of the woods just yet.
The bases remained loaded, with two outs, when Courtney Durbin worked a walk to push across the Tars’ third run.
Camille Czarnecki entered to pitch in relief of Pugh, but another walk and a wild pitch followed and the Tars stormed back to tie the game at 5-5 with a five run rally.
Neither team scored in the following four innings and the game went all the way to the ninth. In the top of the ninth, Megan Copeland led off with a walk. Mars’ sacrifice bunt advanced Copeland, the go-ahead run, into scoring position. Brito was intentionally walked in order to face Pazienza, but Pazienza made the Tars pay by delivering an RBI single to center.
Copeland’s run turned out to be the game-winner as Czarnecki worked a scoreless fifth to seal the victory. Czarnecki (7-2) tossed 5.1 scoreless innings in relief in route to the victory.
Brito paced the offense with a 4-for-7 afternoon in the two games including a homer and three RBI.
With the win the Bucs snapped the Tars’ 20-game home winning streak at Martin Luther King Park.
Barry returns to action on Tuesday when they travel to Davie, FL in a battle of Sunshine State Conference foes. Coverage will be available through the Barry University athletics’ website, GOBARRYBUCS.COM.