Eagles rally to split with NWF

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (April 2, 2021) – Tallahassee Community College rallied from a 4-1 deficit to claim a 9-4, game two victory over Northwest Florida State College to split Friday's Panhandle Conference softball doubleheader. 

Northwest Florida State staved off a last-inning rally by the Eagles in game one to win 10-9. 

In game two, Northwest Florida State scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to surge to a 4-1 lead. The lead could have been more, if not for some clutch pitching by Emily Oakes. 

Oakes came on in relief of starter Isanthe Rouwenhorst with two outs and two runners in scoring position in the fourth, and she promptly induced Lele Martinez into an inning-ending groundout. After allowing a one-out homer in the fifth, the Raiders threatened to blow the game open, again moving a pair of runners into scoring position, but Oakes retired Emma Alley on a fly out to keep the score 4-1. 

With one out and one on in the bottom of the fifth, Maddy Walther hit a two-run homer to make it a one-run game. With Sheshe Ortiz on first following a walk, catcher Gabby Fischetti's pickoff attempt sailed wide of the bag, and the ball rolled all the way to the right field corner, allowing Ortiz to advance to third. Tallahassee took advantage of the miscue. 

Alison Rodriguez promptly singled to right, scoring Ortiz with the tying run. 

The Eagles exploded for five runs in the sixth. Davis and Aneyshka Aponte executed a double steal to score Davis from third with the go-ahead run. Stacey Hudson smacked a two-run homer to center and Rodriguez added a two-run single to complete the scoring. 

Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Walther was 2-for-4 with two RBI. 

Oakes (3-7) allowed just two hits in 3.1 innings in relief to earn the victory. 

In the opener, Northwest Florida State scored three runs in its first at-bat without the benefit of a hit. The Raiders loaded the bases via an error, walk and hit batsman then Emma Fowler hit a batter to score the first run. A sac-fly and throwing error plated two more and put the Raiders in front 3-0. 

Tallahassee answered right back with its own bases-loaded opportunity after Davis led off with a single, Hudson was hit by a pitch and Walther walked. With two outs, Ortiz drilled a grand slam over the left field fence to put the Eagles in front, 4-3. 

Northwest Florida State's Amber Divine tied the game with a leadoff homer in the fourth, the Raiders scored three in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead and eventually led 10-6 when the Eagles came to bat in the seventh. 

With one out and the bases loaded, Ortiz and pinch-hitter Alyssa Krausz drew consecutive walks to cut the deficit in half. A passed ball brought Walther home from third and moved the tying and winnings runs into scoring position. Another walk to MacKenzie Childs loaded the bases again for Davis, but she flied out to left to end the game. 

Davis, Hudson, Ortiz and Aponte had two hits each for Tallahassee. Ortiz drove in five runs. 

Fowler (5-8) was charged with nine runs – but only two earned in 5.1 innings. 

Tallahassee will return to play on Friday at Chipola College. The doubleheader begins at 5 p.m.