Feb. 24, 2006
Box Score
DELAND, FLA - The Marist Softball squad opened the 2006 campaign by falling to Samford and Stetson on the first day of the Stetson Tournament. In game one against Samford (3-8), Marist dropped a heartbreaker 1-0 in eight innings. Sophomore Megan Rigos (Lebanon, Pa.) pitched a complete game for Marist who fell to 0-1 on the season. In game two, the Foxes couldn't get anything going as they fell 9-0 to the Hatters.
Against Samford, Rigos got off to a strong start as she struck out the side. The sophomore shut down the Bulldogs until the eighth inning. With the tie breaker rule in effect, Samford began the inning with a runner on second base and no one out. Samford's clean up hitter Shelly Stanley went on to drive a ball to right field to push across the only run of the game.
The Red Foxes did not go without their chances in the game, however. In the second inning they put two runners on with just one out. Samford starting pitcher Susanna Meyer was able to get two pop outs to end the threat. In the sixth inning freshman Jessica Green (Manassas, Va.) led off the inning with a sharp single to left center field. After a sacrifice bunt by Katie Eskin, (Edison, N.J.), Marist had the go ahead run on second in a scoreless game. Annie Castellano followed Eskin's bunt with a line drive single past the third baseman, a perfect throw from leftfielder Emily Deaux, though, cut down pinch runner Pamela de la Llave to keep the game scoreless.
Hits for the game were even at four, while Marist made three errors behind Rigos. For the game Rigos struck out 10 batters and walked just three, as she fell to 0-1 on the season.
In game two against the host Stetson, Marist fell behind early. The Hatters put four on the board in the top of the first on two hits, four walks and an error on their way to a 9-0 triumph. The big blow in the first was a two-out, two-run error with the bases loaded.
Stetson starter Heather Colding completely shut down the Red Foxes, as she threw a no-hitter in the shortened game. Colding struck out 10 on the day in just five innings of work as she improved to 2-1 on the year.
Stetson added three more runs in the top of the third, keyed by a three-run triple by Sherrel Fountain that gave the hatters a 7-0 lead.
The Hatters went on to plate two more runs in their half of the fifth, and that would be more then enough help for Colding.
Kristen Merlino worked three innings for Marist, giving up seven runs as she fell to 0-1 on the season.
Marist will be back on the field tomorrow when the face off with Central Florida and Winthrop. They will wrap the stay in Florida when they face Western Michigan on Sunday morning.
