#25 Lady Indians sweep DH with Snead State

MARIANNA, Fla. - The #25 Lady Indians broke out new all-white uniforms for their doubleheader against Snead State Community College on Sunday at the Chipola Softball Field. Chipola used strong pitching performances and timely hitting to sweep the doubleheader with the Lady Parsons, 5-4 & 8-6, to improve their record to 16-7 on the season

Game 1 - Chipola 5, Snead State 4     WP: Hannah Worthington (7-2), 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

The early 10 AM start did not bother the Lady Indians as they jumped on the visitors from Boaz, Alabama, in the first inning. The first four batters in the lineup hit safely to help Chipola run out to a 3-0 lead.

After Kayla Franklin singled into left field, Irene Rabasco and Diana Arcay laid down perfect bunts that the Lady Parsons were helpless against to load the bases. Still with no outs, Anyela Gomez-Ruiz doubled into centerfield to plate Franklin and Rabesco. With one out, Gabrie Flowers grounded out to the right side of the infield that scored Arcay.

Snead State got a run back in the top of the second on a solo home run with one out. It was just the third home run given up by Hannah Worthington through 51.1 innings pitched this season.

The Lady Parson would tie the game, 3-3, in the third after a few Chipola miscues. After a leadoff single, a potential double play ball was thrown to the ivy in right-centerfield allowing the hitter to move around to third and scoring a run. A wild pitch would send the runner from third in to score and make it a new game.

With one out in the fifth, following a walk to Gomez-Ruiz, Paris Rodgers singled in to left field. Rodgers moved to second when the outfielder's throw went to third in an attempt to retire Gomez-Ruiz. This would be a costly mistake for the Lady Parsons. The next batter in the Chipola lineup, Flowers, singled up the middle and a slight bobble by the centerfielder allowed both Chipola baserunners to score. Rodgers' run would eventually be the winning run.

In the top of the sixth inning, after the leadoff batter was hit by a pitch, a double pulled the Lady Parsons to within one and put the tying run in scoring position with no outs. Worthington got the next batter to pop up in foul territory to third for the first out. With a 1-1 count on the next batter, Chipola catcher, Addison Carter caught the Snead State baserunner napping and threw behind her at second. Gabrie Flowers took the throw and fired it to third to eliminate the tying run from the bases. A line drive to Arcay in left field left Snead State with just three outs remaining.

After the Lady Indians failed to add to the lead in their half of the sixth, Snead State tried to rally in the seventh. A one out single and a two out walk put the tying and go-ahead runs on base but Worthington got the next batter to hit a ground ball to third where Rabasco was waiting. She fielded the ball and stepped on her bag to give Worthington her seventh win of the season and sixth complete game.

Game 2 - Chipola 8, Snead State 6     WP: Lauren Grantham (5-1), 5.1 IP, 10 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K     S: Josefina Lacalle (1), 1.2 IP, 0 H, ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Chipola once against jumped on their visitors in the first to take an early lead. Kayla Franklin led off with a single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Irene Rabasco. Diana Arcay singled and moved up to second when the Lady Parsons threw to the plate in an unsuccessful attempt to keep Franklin from scoring. After Arcay moved to third on a fly ball hit to right field by Anyela Gomez-Ruiz, Paris Rodgers doubled to put the Lady Indians up 2-0 after one.

In the third, the Lady Parsons would cut Chipola's lead in half with a one out single followed by a double. Lauren Grantham who had retired seven of the eight hitters she had faced before the third innings hits, sat the next two batters she faced to keep Snead State from tying the score.

Chipola used a much needed four-run inning in the fifth to give itself some breathing room for the first time all day. After Franklin walked to start the inning and then stole second, she moved over to third on Rani Meaux's fly ball out to right field. With one out, Arcay singled, scoring Franklin, and Gomez-Ruiz singled to put runners on first and second. Paris Rodgers hit her second double of the game to score Arcay and Gomez-Ruiz and put Chipola up 5-1.

Kamryn Eaton came on to run for Rodgers and she moved over to third after Gabrie Flowers walked and Riley Read was hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded and one out, Keara Millender hit a ground ball that left the third baseman with no choice but to throw to first, allowing another run to score. A fly ball ended the inning with runners on second and third but Chipola held a 6-1 lead and two innings to play.

Grantham was masterful through five innings but in the sixth, Snead State began to figure her out. Five of the Lady Parson's ten hits came in the sixth inning and allowed them score three runs and force Coach Kelly Brookins to call on her bullpen.

Leading 6-4 with one out and runners on second and third, Coach Brookins sent Josefina Lacalle to the circle in hopes of stopping the rally from the Lady Parsons. Lacalle stepped up in the biggest moment of the day with a pair of strikeouts looking to keep Chipola in the lead by two.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Rani Meaux her second home run of the season, solo shot, to add to the Chipola lead. Arcay would score the Lady Indians' final run of the day after she walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on Gomez-Ruiz's second hit of the game, and scored on an error by the catcher.

Trailing 8-4 with only three outs left in their four-day, eight-game tour of Panhandle Conference schools, Snead State continued to fight as Lacalle began to struggle to find the zone. A pair of walks to start the inning scored after both runners moved up on a passed ball and a ground ball to second base. After second baseman Gabrie Flowers threw to first to retire the first out, an over-zealous Gomez-Ruiz tried to throw behind the runner at third but the ball got away allowing the run to score but clearing the bases.

A two out walk allowed the tying run to come to the plate but Lacalle picked up her fourth strikeout and first save of the season.

Up Next

The Lady Indians will travel to Palatka on Tuesday for a 1 PM CST doubleheader with St. John's River, the #3 ranked softball team in NJCAA Division II. Earlier in the season, Chipola and the Lady Vikings split a doubleheader in Marianna, with St. John's River winning game one, 12-0, and the Lady Indians taking game two, 13-5.

Game Notes

• Offense warming up with the temperatures: Chipola has scored at least five runs in their last ten games. They have won eight of those ten.
• Ice: Chipola unveiled one of their three new uniforms purchased this season. The all-white is off to a 2-0 start on the season.
• Being Extra: Chipola had four extra base hits on the day. Paris Rodgers had two doubles in game two and leads the Lady Indians with 8 this season. Anyela Gomez-Ruiz picked up her fifth double of the season and Rani Meaux hit her second home run of the season.
• All the Single Ladies: Chipola hit 16 singles in the doubleheader sweep - Franklin (3), Rabasco (1), Arcay (3), Rodgers (1), Flowers (3), Addison Carter (1), Spooner (1), Meaux (1), and Gomez-Ruiz (2)