The Lady Bisons softball team won its second conference series against Florida Gulf Coast University this weekend in Nashville at Draper Diamond.
Saturday’s doubleheader was full of nail biting and clutch hitting for the Lady Bisons. Lipscomb won both games.
FGCU scored one run in the first game off an RBI single from senior catcher Chelsea Zgrabik. Not much action happened again until the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman infielder Mimi Cartwright singled to leadoff.
Junior outfielder Brianne Welch reached on a fielder’s choice. Sophomore outfielder Brittany Elmore got a bunt single to load the bases. Junior infielder Paige Neely singled up the middle to score Mimi Cartwright and Welch to give Lipscomb the 2-1 lead.
The Lady Eagles responded in the sixth scoring two runs off of senior infielder Brittney Garabedian’s single up the middle. Junior outfielder Kelsey Carpenter and freshman infielder Tori Van Camp scored to give FGCU the 3-2 lead. The Lady Bisons tied the game in the bottom of the inning off Elmore’s RBI single to center field.
The Lady Eagles took the lead in the seventh after Garabedian hit a solo homerun. However, the Lady Bisons weren’t finished. Senior infielder Kelsey Cartwright knocked a solo homerun with one out to tie the game 4-4. With one runner on base, senior catcher/infielder Haley Elliott hits a pinch-hit home run to give the Lady Bisons a 6-4 victory in game one.
Lipscomb senior pitcher Ashley Anderson went all seven innings giving up four runs on five hits while striking out five batters.
In game two, Lipscomb got on the board first off an RBI single by Neely to score Welch. FGCU responded again in the fourth. Senior infielder Kirsten Bembnowski hit a two-run home run to give the Lady Eagles a 2-1 lead.
Lipscomb’s junior outfielder Gracey Aguirre hit a leadoff single in the fourth. Senior catcher Rena’ Cothron hit a single up the middle to score Aguirre and tie the game 2-2.
FGCU’s Garabedian singled in the fifth to score two more runs and give the Lady Eagles the lead 4-2.
In the bottom on the seventh, Elmore reached on a bunt single. Neely hit a double to center field, moving Elmore to third. With two outs, senior infielder Kristen Sturdivant hit a double to center field scoring Elmore and Neely to send the game into extra innings.
Mimi Cartwright leadoff the eighth hitting a double to right center field. Junior infielder Jordan Abell came into pinch run for Mimi Cartwright. Abell advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt by Cothron. Welch singled through the left side to score Abell to give the Lady Bisons the 5-4 win.
“Being able to help my team win at the end was great,” Welch said. “Every players loves having that moment at least once in their career, and I am so happy I was able to get done. “
Senior pitcher Heather Parker picked up the win. She pitched all eight innings giving up fours runs on 10 hits while striking out seven.
Game three was played on Sunday. The series finale was a little different for the Lady Bisons.
FGCU’s senior infielder Regan Knapik singled in the second to give the Lady Eagles the 1-0 lead. In the fourth, Zgrabik blasted a grand slam to give FGCU’s the 5-0 lead.
In the bottom on the sixth, Kelsey Cartwright hit a three run home run. She knocked in Elmore and junior infielder Bridgette Begle.
The Lady Bisons finished with nine hits in game three which was the same amount as FGCU. Lipscomb struggled getting consecutive hits like they did on Saturday.
“The biggest thing is that we have to always play with energy and a fire, and we have to string out hits together,” Welch said. “We left a lot of base runners on, and we have to keep focusing on what we have been doing best, which is driving in runs.”
The Lady Bisons will play a doubleheader in Cookeville against Tennessee Tech Tuesday, starting at 2 p.m.
Photo credit: Erin Turner