Softball falls to #9 Luther & fights hard against Hope
Fontbonne fell to #9 Luther 11-3 in five innings but rallied back against Hope after trailing to tie the game 6-6 before the Flying Dutch hit a walk-off single to win the game in the bottom of the seventh with two outs.
Clermont, Fla. - Fontbonne softball didn't give up in their run-ruled contest against No. 9-ranked Luther College. The Griffins trailed 11-0 headed into the bottom of the fifth. Fontbonne took advantage of a pitching change and loaded the bases with zero outs to start the inning. The Griffins would score all three of their runs in their final attempt to keep the game going.
Maddie Cooksey made a diving catch in right center in the fourth inning where Luther's runner on first even thought the ball would get down. She had already rounded second Cooksey made the double play. Strickland suffered the loss as Luther rallied for 15 hits.
HOPE
It was a hitter's paradise as some rain came down mid-contest in the second game of the day. Fontbonne took a 4-0 lead over Hope College before the Flying Dutch tallied five runs in the bottom of the third. Each team crossed the plate once in the fifth and Fontbonne tied the game 6-6 on a two-out RBI by Cooksey as Diamond Thomas scored from second base.
After keeping Hope scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, the Flying Dutch brought in a new pitcher and once again the Griffins were patient and earned a leadoff walk in the top of the seventh but ended up stranding Emelia Modglin at second base.
Fontbonne kept Thomas in the circle for the bottom of the seventh after throwing 100 pitches through the first six innings. Sierra Mutschler was 3-3 on the day before stepping to the plate and earning the leadoff walk. Katie Singer hit into a fielder's choice to third base but Kitchen's throw pulled Kedroski off second and both runners were safe. A sacrifice bunt moved up the runners when pinch hitter Sarah Jones lined back to Thomas for the second out. Amanda Diaz hit a grounder up the middle to score the winning run in the only hit of the inning as the error came back to haunt the Griffins.
Each team recorded 10 hits and two errors in the game as Hope came out on top 7-6 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Griffins are now 2-8 on the year.
Fontbonne concludes spring break play Friday when they face Bowdoin and Tufts. Those games can be heard at www.collegecasts.com.