Softball News
Softball win three in a row to reach finals
The Centre College softball team won three games in a row on Saturday, April 28 in San Antonio, Texas to get them in the finals, to be played on Sunday, April 29. The Colonels defeated Rhodes, Hendrix and DePauw to make it to the finals.
In the first game of the day the Colonels faced off against Rhodes College. The teams seemed ready to play as they both scored in the first inning of the game. Junior Lindsey Willett (Louisville, Ky.) reached home after a throwing error by the shortstop. The game was tied after the first inning. Rhodes took the lead in the top of the second by bringing in one run. It looked as if they might pull away when they scored another run in the top of the fourth to make the score 3-1. Centre fought back and was determined to keep the game close. In the bottom of the fifth junior Maggie Blackburn (Lexington, Ky.) batted one out the left field and got junior Courtney Frye (Danville, Ky.) home. Centre's defense then did its part, as it shut out Rhodes the rest of the game, giving its offense a chance to make the comeback. The comeback came, in the bottom of the last inning of the game. Willett sacrificed and out to get sophomore Jennifer Maress (Jacksonville, Fla.) home and Blackburn had another big hit, allowing freshmen Amber Mills (Danville, Ky.) to get home and make the final score 4-3.
Senior Carolyn Besl (Maineville, Ky.) started pitching for the Colonels. She pitched the first two innings and allowed two runs off five hits and stuck one batter out. Freshmen Charlotte Jones (Lexington, Ky.) replaced Besl in the third. Jones allowed one run off two hits and struck one batter out. Freshmen Tyler Travis (Lexington, Ky.) came in and pitched the final three innings of the game. She allowed no hits and struck three batters out.
The Centre bats still had trouble getting hits. Blackburn led the team by having multiple hits and driving home two runners.
The next game matched Centre up against Hendrix once again. Playing with much more confidence, the Colonels dominated the game and brought in eight runs while keeping Hendrix to three. Centre had a great start and scored seven runs in the first three innings. Senior Cate Guthrie (Castaliean Springs, Tenn.) got the team off to a good start as she doubled to left field and got Willett home. Guthrie leads the team with 11 doubles on the season. Centre's big inning was the third, when it brought in four runs. Hendrix attempted to pull some runs back as they scored in the bottom of the third and fifth. They were only able to bring in three runs before Centre finished the game in the last inning when it brought in its last run to make the final score 8-3.
Junior Julia Hubbard (Louisville, Ky.) pitched the entire game for Centre. She allowed only three runs off seven hits and struck out three batters.
The Centre bats performed much better this game as seven players recorded hits. Junior Laura Hufnagle (Lexington, Ky.) lead the squad with three hits and two runs batted in.
The final game of the day put Centre against DePauw once again. This game was much different at Centre shutout Depauw and brought in three runs to make it to the finals. The Colonels played excellent defense to prevent DePauw any points. It was Guthrie in the bottom of the first that got the Colonels excited as she batted in the first run of the game. The game was then tied for the next four innings. Centre broke the deadlock in the bottom of the sixth and brought in two runs to secure the win. Hubbard doubled down the left field line to get Guthrie and Blackburn around the home plate and take the game, 3-0.
Jones earned the win as she pitched the whole game for the Colonels. She struck out five batters and allowed no runs off four hits.
Four Centre batters posted hits throughout the game. Hubbard stood out as she had multiple hits and drove in two runs.
The Colonels will play Trinity University in the finals in San Antonio, Texas Sunday, April 29, starting at 11:00 a.m.
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