TAMPA, Florida – The Marist softball team split its two games on Saturday at the South Florida Showdown.
The Red Foxes came back from a three-run deficit for a 5-4 victory over Lehigh (17-5) in their first game of the day. In the second game, South Florida (19-13) topped Marist by a score of 6-2.
Marist is now 8-17 this season.
- Lehigh scored twice in the top of the first, but Marist got one back in the bottom half. Sam Freeland singled, stole second, and scored on Haley Ahr's double.
- Lily Owens' third-inning homer put Lehigh up 4-1.
- In the bottom of the third, Alyssa Grupp's two-run single scored Freeland and Ahr.
- With one out in the sixth, Grupp doubled and Shea Walsh was hit by a pitch. Hannah Brock drove in both Grupp and Walsh with a double that gave Marist the lead for good.
- Grupp and Freeland both had two hits. Grupp and Brock had two RBIs, and Freeland scored two runs.
- Calista Phippen went the distance and struck out eight without walking anyone. Phippen struck out the side in the sixth and allowed just one hit over the final four innings.
- South Florida opened the scoring with two runs in the first and added three in the second.
- Marist got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth on a two-run single by Maddie Pleasants, which brought home Kaitlyn Husic and Shea Walsh.
- South Florida countered with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
- Marist brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh. The Red Foxes loaded the bases with no outs, but were unable to score.
- Sam Freeland (two walks), Reese Wilson (single, walk), and Alyssa Grupp (hit by two pitches) reached twice.
- Kiley Myers started and went the first 5.2 innings.
- Kathy Garcia went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for South Florida.
- Marist closes out play in the South Florida Showdown on Sunday against Lehigh.
- First pitch is set for 10 a.m.
