The Saint Mary softball team opened the 2017 season with a thrilling 10-9 extra inning win over #20 Central Methodist on Wednesday. Extra innings forced the second game to be called due to darkness. Game two would end in a 2-2 tie.
Game one began ominously as the Spires would get behind 6-0 after two and a half innings. The Spires would cut into the lead in the bottom of the third inning when two runs scored on a Central Methodist error. Selena Ruiz would double in two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, and Kayla Hackney brought the Spires with one as she followed with an RBI single.
Central Methodist added another run in the top of the fifth, chasing Samantha Torres from the game. Torres pitched four and a third innings allowing seven runs on 12 hits. Ruiz would enther the game to pitch in the fifth and toss two scoreless innings. The Spires would score runs in the bottom of the fith and then tie the game with another run from an RBI single by Nicole DeSimone.
The game would go extra innings, and Carrie Lee took over in the pitching circle for the Spires. Lee kept the Eagle scoreless until the ninth. Central Methodist would take a two run lead on a two run home run with one out in the top of the ninth, but the Spires would not be done. In the bottom of the ninth, Kaila Trowbridge sent a two RBI double to left field to tie the game with nobody out. Hannah Gradillas and Tycee Coplan each followed with singles to drive home Trowbridge for the walk off win.
In game two, Ruiz started on the mound and tossed three and a third innings allowing two runs on six hits. Lee would toss the final two outs in the fourth. The Spires trailed 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth inning. Torres would open the fourth with a single. Ruiz walked, and Hackney moved the runners to second and third with a groundout. Trowbridge then cut the deficit in half as she laid down a suicide squeeze bunt to score Torres. With two outs, Ruiz would score and tie the game on a passed ball by Central Methodist.
After four innings of play, the game was called in a 2-2 tie. Darkness forced the umpires to call the game giving the Spires a win and a tie on opening day. Saint Mary will be back in action this weekend at the Central Baptist Meltdown in Conway, AR. The Spires will play four games on the weekend. They begin play on Saturday at 11:30am against Central Baptist.
