Softball team goes 1-1 at the CMI Invitational

The Eastern Florida State College softball team earned a split at the CMI Invitational at Boombah Sports Complex in Sanford.

The Titans defeated Pensacola State College in the first game of the day 8-2 and lost the second game 7-6 to the State College of Florida Manatee.

Eastern Florida State College found itself down 2-0 after four innings against Pensacola State but the Titans struck for five runs in the fifth inning. Makenzie Fore drove home the first run of the game as Marisa Shoudt scored after hitting a single.

Trinity Howard would give the Titans a 3-2 lead with a two-run double, scoring Fore and Sam Formosa. Rachel Lamoureaux would score on Sam Clark's groundout to make it 4-2. Howard would then score on an error to give the Titans a 5-2 lead.

Pensacola State would get the first two on but Mandy Hedetniemi-Taylor picked up a strikeout and pop out to the second baseman to get out of the jam.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Boo Swoyer singles and Arianna Gonzales pinch ran. After a sacrifice bunt, Fore singled to put runners on first and third. Lamoureaux grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Gonzales. Clark would hit a double to score Lamoureaux and then Faith Campos singled to score Howard and make it 8-2.

Campos had three hits while Clark and Howard each drove in two runs. Hedetniemi-Taylor continued her strong pitching, allowing one earned run over seven innings and struck out six.

In Game 2, the State College of Florida Manatee jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning but the Titans would score once in the bottom of the third and then tie the game in the bottom of the third on an Ava Bassani RBI single and the Marisa Shoudt drove in Faith Campos on a groundout.

But Manatee would score four times in the top of the fourth inning to take a 7-3 lead. The Titans would rally in the bottom of the ninth inning as Clark has an RBI double, then Howard scores on a groundout by Campos. Bassani then singles to score Clark and cut the lead to 7-6. But SCF-Manatee would record the final out to preserve the win.

Eastern Florida State College will hit the road for six straight games beginning Thursday at Polk State College for a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.