Softball team wins again, advances to championship game

The Eastern Florida State College softball team has advanced to the NJCAA South Atlantic District B Championship Game for the first time in program history.

The Titans defeated Florida SouthWestern State College 12-11 in eight innings Friday night as Destiny Lake had a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth to lock up the win for the Titans. It was Lake's first win of the season as she pitched the final 3 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run.

With the game tied 11-11, Jenna Borkey hit a double, took third on a pitch in the dirt and then scored on a wild pitch to give the Titans a 12-11 lead.

The game was a back-and-forth affair from the beginning as Eastern Florida State College scored twice in the top of the first on an RBI double by McKenzie Jewell. Jewell would then score on Kyla Leppin's RBI single to left field.

A two-run home run by Skylar Brennan would tie the game in the bottom of the second inning. Florida Southwestern would take the lead with a run in the third.

The Titans exploded for four runs in the fourth inning as Marisa Shoudt and Samantha Clark each had RBI singles. Brooke Theisen would hit a sacrifice fly that almost left the ballpark with the bases loaded and then Faith Campos scored on a wild pitch.

Up 6-3, FSW answered with a run in the fourth inning. It looked like the Titans would take control of the game in the fifth as Clark crushed a ball to the fence, scoring Madison Ford. With runners at second and third, an error led to Shoudt scoring the eighth run of the game for the Titans.

But the Bucs would answer in a big way, scoring five times in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Florida Southwestern would extend the lead to 11-8 in the sixth inning.

But once again the Titans would answer in the seventh inning, scoring three times to tie the game 11-11. Borkey was hit by a pitch and scored on Shoudt's double. Shoudt then scored on Faith Campos' single. Down one, Jewell was walked to load the bases and then Leppin had a great at-bat, drawing a walk to tie the game.

Campos had three hits in the game as the Titans finished with 12 hits in the game, five of them being doubles.

The win was No. 40 for the Titans which is a program record.

Eastern Florida State College will play No. 1 seed Northwest Florida State College at 10 a.m. Saturday morning for the district title and a first-ever trip to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.

"We are excited to be playing in the District B Championship Game!" Eastern Florida State College softball coach Shelby Petik said. "The girls are playing with 100 percent confidence in themselves and each other. We have told them all year if we can just make the tournament, we have a shot to win it all. They are locked in and ready."

Saturday's district final can be seen live online at the FCSAA Digital Network.