Softball Drops Two Tough Outings Against LaGrange

LAGRANGE, Ga.—The Fontbonne University softball team dropped two tough games on Friday night as they fell to LaGrange 9-1 (5 inn.) in game one and 6-5 in game two.

Game One

Final: LaGrange 9, Fontbonne 1

Location: LaGrange, Ga.

Records: LaGrange 1-4, Fontbonne 0-6

How It Happened

Things started out well for the Griffins in the first with Diamond Thomas leading off with a triple. She didn't have to wait long at third with Grace Harlin recording her first collegiate RBI on a groundout to give them a 1-0 lead.

The team tried to tack on more in the third as they had the bases loaded with two outs, however, the Panthers got out of the inning on a fly-out.

In the home half of the third, LaGrange was able to take a 2-1 lead without recording a hit as Taylor Long scored on a fielder's choice and Brittany Todd scored on a wild pitch.

The Panthers scored three more in the fourth, highlighted by a two RBI double from Taylor Long. They went on to score four more in the fifth to win, 9-1.

Fontbonne Notables

• Thomas ended with two of the three hits for Fontbonne. Daisy Watkins recorded the other.
• Inside the circle, Maddy Strickland took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 3.1 innings pitched.

LaGrange Notables

• The Panthers scattered 11 hits and were led by the 4-for-4, two runs scored, and two RBI performance from Long.
• On the rubber, Emsley Smith earned the win after allowing one run in 4.0 innings of work.

Game Two

Final: LaGrange 6, Fontbonne 5

Location: LaGrange, Ga.

Records: LaGrange 2-4, Fontbonne 0-7

How It Happened

In the bottom of the second, the Panthers took a 2-0 lead on a homer from Kaitlin Redman. However, the Griffins answered right back in the next half inning.

Melanie Russo reached base on a one out fielder's choice and moved up a base on a passed ball. After a walk to Strickland and a single by Emily Cardwell, the bases were loaded for Lexi Becker.

The St. Louis, Mo., native, came through with an RBI single to left that scored Russo to make it 2-1. Two batters later, Emily McNiff worked a bases loaded walk to tie the game. Then, Thomas followed with an infield single that brought home Cardwell to give the Griffins a 3-2 lead.

The Panthers regained the 4-3 advantage in the bottom of the fourth on two RBI single from Madelynn Formby, but its lead was short-lived.

In the top of the fifth, the Griffins plated two as Alyssa Pisarek and Becker both scored on wild pitches to give Fontbonne the 5-4 lead. The Panthers though wouldn't go away quietly as Formby played spoiler with an RBI single of her own to even it up at 5-5 in the sixth.

In the bottom of the seventh, with runners on the corners and two outs, Taylor Long hit an infield single that plated Landon DeLamar, who reached base on a fielder's choice, to give the Panthers the walk-off win.

Fontbonne Notables

• The Griffins set new season-highs with five runs scored and 11 hits.
• Strickland, Becker, and McNiff had two hits each.
• Thomas, Grace Harlin, Emelia Modglin, Melanie Russo, and Cardwell had the other hits.
• Inside the circle, Diamond Thomas was dealt the tough defeat after allowing five earned runs in 6.1 innings.

LaGrange Notables

• The Panthers ended with seven hits and were led by Formby going 3-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored.
• Redman went 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBI.
• Reliever Kristina Calixto got the win after pitching 2.0 innings of shutout ball.

Up Next

• The Griffins close out its trip down south tomorrow afternoon against Huntingdon. First-pitch at 12 p.m.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com throughout the year for full updates and recaps on the softball team.

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