Georgetown, TX - Centre Softball took on Southwestern in the series finale on Sunday. While the Colonels were looking for a single win, the Pirates add other ideas as they completed the series sweep with a 5-1 win.
Centre had a chance for a lead right off the start. Two straight Pirate errors put
Brinley Muller and
Kira Mashburn on in the top of the 1st. Two batters later,
Emily Lammers dropped down a bunt single to load the bases with 1 out.
Layne Ogle then grounded to third with a force out following at home for the 2nd out.
Rylee Sandifer did the same as the Colonels stranded the bases loaded.
Kennedy Caudill got the start for Centre and got into trouble in the bottom of the 1st thanks to walks to the first two Pirate batters. An RBI ground out gave Southwestern a 1-0 lead before Caudill bounced back to retire the side. In the bottom of the 2nd, the Pirates went after more. With 1 out, Caudill walked a batter then gave up a single. Two batters later, another walk loaded the bases. Caudill was able to get out of the jam by inducing a ground ball back to the circle to end the threat.
Centre took advantage in the top of the 3rd. With 2 out,
Emily Lammers drew a walk and went to 2nd on a wild pitch.
Layne Ogle walked to bring
Rylee Sandifer to the plate. On an 0-1 count, Sandifer laced a single to left center. Lammers scored to tie the game. Ogle got aggressive in trying to score from 1st but was cut down at the plate to end the inning tied at 1.
The top of the 4th proved another golden opportunity that Centre could not capitalize on. With 1 out,
Jada Challiss and
Cheney Floyd each singled to force a Pirate pitching change.
Brinley Muller then laid down a perfect bunt single to load the bases with still only 1 out.
Kira Mashburn then popped out to the catcher for out number two. On a 2-0 count,
Morgan Tabor tapped a grounder to 2nd to end the inning with the bases loaded for the 2nd time in 3 innings.
Southwestern faced a similar fate in the bottom of the inning. With 2 out and a runner on 2nd, a walk ended Caudill's day in the circle as
Katherine Weller came on in relief. Weller walked the first batter she faced to load the bases but was able to induce a routine fly to left to end the 4th still tied at 1.
After leaving another runner on in the 5th, Centre had another chance for the lead in the 6th.
Cheney Floyd singled with 1 out and would move to 2nd after a
Kira Mashburn walk with 2 out. They would remain put as a strikeout ended the top of the 6th. Southwestern took advantage and broke the game open in the bottom of the 6th. With 1 out and runners at the corners, a steal of 2nd was followed by a single to center to put the Pirates up 2-1. A single to left brought another run home and put runners on 2nd & 3rd. A 3-1 pitch was sent to the right center gap to bring two more runs in.
Ashley Howard then came on for Weller and retired the final 2 batters but not before the Pirates took a 5-1 lead to the 7th. The Colonels managed a 2-out double from
Rylee Sandifer in the 7th but nothing more as Southwestern completed the sweep.
Centre now turns its attention to a big 3-game series at Rhodes starting with a doubleheader next Saturday at 2:00pm.
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