Babson Park, FL – Four shutout innings for Abigayle Ellis and a walk off RBI single for Haley Saylor allow the Warriors to take game one as they split on day one against the 18th-ranked Coastal Georgia Mariners.
Freshman pitcher, Abigayle Ellison notched her first collegiate win as she took down Bryce Peacock and the Mariners. Ellison pitched four shutout innings and only allowed one hit and walked one batter. Jenna Chaudoin got the start for the Warriors as she pitched 3.0 innings and added three strikeouts.
Thalia Romero spearheaded the Warriors offense as she went 2-for-3 and accounted for two runs. Brandy Barquin had a walk and a base knock to go with two runs. Haley Saylor pulled off the upset in game one as she singled through the up the middle for the 5-4 win.
The Mariners struck first as they scored three in the first two innings. The Warriors responded with back-to-back walks. Kylie Bright singled through second base and found herself on second due to an error by the left fielder; which scored Bland to cut the deficit to one.
CCGA brought one across in the top of the third before Thalia Romero started a two-out rally with a single passed the first baseman. Barquin followed with a well-hit ball to rightfield to put two aboard. Saylor took a hit by pitch to load the bases. A walk for Bland allowed Romero to score while an error by the Mariner's pitcher brought Barquin home to make it a one-run ball game.
A double and passed ball put Romero in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, before a sac fly from Barquin tied the game at four.
Ellison was able to work her way out of a jam in the top of the sixth, before notching three straight outs in the top of the seventh. Rachel Lamoureaux singled with a ball that bounced just out of reach for the shortstop. A sac bunt and sacrificial groundout moved Lamoureaux 120 feet as the walk off queen, Haley Saylor, stepped up. The senior singled through the middle to bring around the runner and take game one 5-4.
Chloe Rayner got the start in game two as she pitched six innings. Megan Hoskins came in for relief in the top of the seventh inning as she kept the Mariners from scoring with three quick outs.
Romero had another successful game as she went 1-for3 with an RBI and a walk. Haley Saylor started a two-out rally that added three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
A solo-shot homerun for Johnkiria Bland gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Two ground outs to Kylie Bright and a line out to Saylor kept the Mariners off the bases in the top of the third inning. Bright responded with a quick single to right field, before a Lamoureaux single to left center brought Bright in and gave WIU a two-run lead.
The Mariners managed to get two across in the top of the fourth to tie the game and kept the Warriors from scoring. Rayner was able to work herself out of a jam in the top of the fifth inning, as she allowed her defense to back her and pick up three outs.
Coastal Georgia added five unearned runs in the top of the sixth to give some cushion. A wild relay from Saylor to Alexi Watkins to Grace Kidwell kept the Mariners from adding runs in the top of the seventh.
Saylor got things rolling in the seventh inning with a leadoff walk; while Watkins singled with a bunt to put two on the bases. Pinch hitter, Haley Bellamy singled through the right side to load the bases with one out. Samantha Hudson came into hit and singled to left field allowing a run to come in. Gracie Lopez followed suit with a single to the pitcher to keep the bases juiced. Lamoureaux took a five-pitch walk to cut the Mariner's lead to three. After a pitching change, Romero also took a walk to bring in Miranda Muriel and make it 7-5 before CCGA got the final out of the game.
The Warriors will be back tomorrow, March 24th, to battle the final game of this series, with the first pitch scheduled for 12 PM.
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