Story By: Rolando Rosa - JCFloridan.com Photo: Kristie Cloud
Nationally ranked Chipola Softball raced out to a 6-0 lead en route to a 7-1 victory against Shelton State in the first round of the NJCAA National Softball Tournament on Wednesday night in St. Georges, UT.
Chipola advances in the winners bracket to play Howard College (4-3 winner against Jefferson College) on Thursday at 6 p.m. (CST).
The Lady Indians scored three runs in the second inning, two in the third, and one apiece in the fourth and sixth.
Jessica Elliott was the winning pitcher for Chipola. Elliott went five innings with one earned run, five hits allowed and eight strikeouts. Elliott struck out the side in the fourth inning.
Chipola's Illona Andringa pitched the final two innings, giving up just one hit.
Brashante Dareus and Tori McDaniel each had two RBIs for Chipola. Dareus went 2-for-4 with a run and McDaniel was 3-for-3 with two runs. Jenna Reeves went 2-for-4 with a run. Shelby Clark batted 2-for-3.
In the second inning, Dareus scored on an error, McDaniel hit an RBI single and later reached home on a bases loaded walk of Madison Ragan.
In the third, McDaniel's single to center brought in Gabriella Santos. Then, McDaniel scored on an error after stealing third base.
Dareus' connected on RBI singles in the fourth and sixth to plate Reeves and Reagan Oliver.
Mallory Malone's RBI double in the sixth produced Shelton State's lone run.