The 2021 season has been marred with injuries and bad luck for the Lady Indians but on Friday they snapped an eight game losing streak and defeated #15 Lake Land College (1-2) in a pair of games, 6-4 and 10-9. Kinzie Nelson had a huge day at the plate going 5-for-6 with a 3-run home run, a triple, and a total of seven RBIs.
Game 1: Chipola - 6 Lake Land - 4
There was a pitcher's duel taking place in the first three innings of game one on Friday. Zayla McBurrows got the start in the circle for the Lady Indians and retired the side in order in the first and third innings. McBurrows was able to work out of a bases loaded jam in the second without allowing a run. Meanwhile, Chipola's bats were silent as their only two baserunners reached via an error and a bunt single by Karlee Back.
In the top of the fourth, the Lakers would get on the board first, loading the bases with no outs. After a throwing error trying to pick off a runner at first allowed a run to score, Lake Land's Kyrsten Darrough hit a three-run home run to put the Lakers up 4-0.
Kayla Hurley led off the bottom of the inning with a line drive to right field. After Shakara Goodloe lined out to shortstop for the first out, Natalie Kopicova doubled, sending Hurley to third. Kinzie Nelson's first big hit of the day was a two RBI triple to cut the lead in half. With two outs, freshman Alexis Cosgrove tied the game with her first home run.
The score would remain 4-4 until the bottom of the sixth. Kinzie Nelson led off the inning with a single to left followed by a bunt single from Marley Sims. Following a double steal, Alexis Cosgrove picked up her third RBI of the game with a deep fly ball that plated Nelson and moved Sims to third. Sierra Jevyak entered the game as a pinch hitter and laid down a bunt single that scored Sims and put the Lady Indians up 6-4. The RBI was Jevyak's 24th of the season, which leads Chipola hitters and puts her at eighth in the nation.
After allowing a lead off walk in the seventh, Zayla McBurrows retired the next three Lakers she faced to get the complete game win. On the day, Burrows (1-1) allowed four runs, three earned, on only five hits and four walks. She struck out seven Lakers' hitters.
Game 2: Chipola - 10 Lake Land - 9
Both offenses were hot from the beginning of game two. After the Lakers scored two in the first, the Lady Indians once again fought back in the bottom half of the inning. Karlee Back reached on a lead-off walk, stole second, and moved up to third on a ground ball out by Gabby Bess. Kayla Hurley singled up the middle to score Back from third. Madisyn Riggins followed with a single and moved up to second as the Lake Land outfield failed trying to throw out Hurley advancing to third. Hurley and Riggins would score on Kinzie Nelson's third hit of the day to give the lead to the Lady Indians, 3-2.
After a Lake Land home run tied the game in the third, the Lakers would add four runs in the fourth and take a 7-3 lead.
Once again the Lady Indians fought back. Madisyn Riggins lead off the inning with a double into right-center and moved to third on Natalie Kopicova's single. Kinzie Nelson hit the first pitch she saw over the ivy in left center to bring Chipola to within one run.
Trailing 7-6 in the fifth inning, Kyra Ward entered the circle for Chipola, replacing Leigha Kirby. On the day, Kirby threw 4 innings, giving up seven hits and striking out three. Ward would get out of the fifth with no damage as she retired three of the four hitters she faced.
In the bottom of the fifth, Gabby Bess and Kayla Hurley started the inning off by reaching base on back to back Lake Land errors. With runners at second and third, Madisyn Riggins singled for her third hit of the game, scoring Bess and sending Hurley to third. Riggins moved to second as the throw from the outfield sailed over the infielder's head. With the score now tied 7-7, Kinzie Nelson once again came through for Chipola with a single up the middle that scored Hurley and Riggins.
The Lakers would not go away. Trailing 9-7, Lake Land tied the game in the sixth with help from Chipola's defense and timely hitting.
Once again, Chipola entered the bottom of the sixth with the score tied, and as they did in game one, the Lady Indians came through. With one out, Sierra Jevyak picked up her second hit of the game. Shakara Goodloe, pinch-running for Jevyak stole second and third then scored on Karlee Back's single.
The run was all the support Kyra Ward needed as she retired the side in order in the seventh, giving the Lady Indians the 10-9 win. Ward, now 3-4 on the season, got the win throwing three innings, allowing 2 unearned runs, and giving up three hits.
Chipola (6-11) will be back in action on Monday, March 1, in a doubleheader at Southern Union Community College in Wadley, Alabama. First pitch for game one is 2 PM.