Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 BOCA RATON, Fla. – Lynn University's softball team opened the doubleheader on Saturday with a 12-inning marathon against the University of Tampa with the Spartans coming from behind and clinching the weekend series in a 2-1 thriller. The Fighting Knights bounced back valiantly in the nightcap however, leading wire-to-wire in a 5-1 victory to close out the Sunshine State Conference series.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Game 1 (Tampa 2, Lynn 1 (12 innings)) | Game 2 (Lynn 5, Tampa 1)
Records: Tampa (13-3, 7-2 SSC), Lynn (9-8, 6-3 SSC)
Location: Lynn Softball Field | Boca Raton, Fla.
All-time Series: Tampa leads 47-15
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STATS OF THE GAME:
- Game 1
- Lynn got on the board first in the bottom of the third with a RBI single to right center from Karolina Flores, scoring Sara Vazquez.
- The Fighting Knights defense held strong until Tampa broke through in the sixth with the game-tying run off a triple to center. After five extra innings, the Spartans went up a run in the 12th behind Shelby Press' third hit of the game and then shut down Lynn's bats in the bottom half.
- Leadoff Francais Olexa had a nice outing at the plate, going 3-for-6.
- Flores added a single in the 10th to finish with a multi-hit game.
- Six more Fighting Knights found first to round out the squad's 12 hits in the contest.
- Katelyn Key pitched over eight innings before exiting due to injury, giving up just one run with three strikeouts.
- Game 2
- For the second game of the day, Lynn went in front early, building a five-run cushion this time to help secure the win.
- In the bottom of the third, Kayla Sheffield, Vazquez and Olexa all worked singles to lead off the inning and load the bases. The next three batters plated a run apiece as Tampa struggled to get out of the jam.
- Leanne Wright belted a two-RBI double in the fifth to increase the Lynn edge.
- Victoria Rios and Flores added base hits, giving Lynn a 6-4 advantage over Tampa.
- Sheffield earned the start in the circle and kept the Spartans' hitters at bay the entire game while playing solid defense. After a couple of walks, Olexa took over at the helm for the final batter, needing just three pitches for the game-ending strikeout.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Lynn played in its longest game in 16 years. The last time the Fighting Knights went 12 innings was a 6-5 win over Eckerd on March 18, 2001. Lynn did have a 13-inning game in 2005, but all wins from that season were vacated.
- Lynn defeated Tampa on its home field for the first time since 2003.
- The Blue and White have already played in four extra-inning games this season, compared to three throughout the entire 2016 campaign.
- With a 3-1 win on Friday evening, Tampa takes the conference series, 2-1.
ON DECK:
Lynn will head to Coca Beach for a flurry of nonconference midweek games over Spring Break, starting with a 3:30 p.m. contest against Oakland City on Tuesday, March 7.
