Chipola opens the floodgates against St. Johns River
Chipola Softball defeats St Johns 8-0 in five innings
By: Rolando Rosa - JCFloridan.com
Triggered by a huge third inning, the Chipola Lady Indians softball team shutout St.Johns River State 8-0 in five innings to advance to the second round of the FCSAA Softball Tournament from Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, FL.
Lady Indians pitcher Jessica Elliott went four innings, allowing just one hit (an infield single), no runs, and four strikeouts.
With Chipola ahead 1-0, St.Johns River State had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the third but was unable to come away with any runs. Elliott threw out a runner at the plate followed by getting a pop out and a ground out to get out of the jam.
That's when momentum suddenly shifted to the Lady Indians.
Chipola then took control of the game with an offensive outburst in the bottom of the third. During the inning, Chipola scored seven runs on four hits and four errors with ten batters utilized.
Ciara Jones and Shelby Clark began the inning with infield singles. An error on a bunt by Savannah Ryken scored Jones and moved Clark to third. Ryken then stole second base and an RBI single by Madison Ragan brought home Clark. After another stolen base, this time by Ragan, Jenna Reeves blasted a two-run double to push the lead to 5-0.
Brashante' Dareus walked and moved to third base, after an error at second on Gabriella Santos' grounder. Santos stole second base then another error placed Alexis Macias at first and scored Dareus. Santos then reached home after Macias escaped a chase down to get to second base. Macias stole third and home on an errant pickoff throw into left field for the final run of the inning.
Illona Andringa retired the side in the fifth inning to earn the save for Chipola.
Santos' sacrifice fly drove in Dareus for the first run of the game in the bottom of the second.
Elliott struck out the first two batters of the game and despite loading the bases in consecutive innings came away with the one-hit effort. St.Johns River State also loaded the bases in the top of the fourth with two outs but Elliott forced a pop out which Jones caught to end the inning.
Chipola stole nine bases in the victory with four by Macias, two by Dareus and one apiece by Santos, Ryken and Dana Edmundson.
No. 3 state ranked and No.7 nationally ranked Chipola (40-10) also defeated Indian River State today 4-2 to advance to Saturday's game against College of Central Florida at 11am (central).