THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University softball team continued its winning ways with a pair of victories on the first day of the TU Invitational, defeating Truett McConnell (Ga.), 5-4 in eight innings, then No. 19 Mobile (Ala.), 4-1.
Thomas, which was receiving votes in the NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll, is now 6-0 overall this season.
The Night Hawks will face Montreat (N.C.) at noon tomorrow, then wrap up the tournament against No. 23 Rio Grande (Ohio) at 6 p.m.
Game One
It took Thomas eight innings to win its fifth game of the season, defeating Truett McConell (Ga.), 5-4, in the first game of the day.
Thomas scored one in the second inning and one in the fourth, then TMU scored once in the bottom of the fourth. Thomas answered with one in the top of the fifth, but a TMU scored a pair in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at four. Each team tallied a run in the seventh, sending the game into extra innings. Thomas scored in the top of the eighth and TMU was unable to answer in the bottom half of the inning, giving TU the 5-4 win.
Margarita Sena started the game on the mound, allowing three runs from seven hits and striking out three in 5.0 innings. Emily Bowne earned the victory with one run allowed from two hits in 2.0 innings, then
Rebecca Boesen picked up the save, pitching 1.0 inning.
Kelsey Connolly went 2-for-4 with a home run and four other batters –
Kait Stoltz,
Gaby Mora, AJ Weiss and
Michael Cooper – recorded a double in Thomas' victory.
Connolly led off the second inning and sent her first pitch over the left field fence to give Thomas the 1-0 lead.
In the fourth, Weiss doubled to deep center, advanced on a single by Cooper and scored on
Izzy Ekstam's sac fly to center.
TMU answered in the fourth with a solo home run.
With two outs in the fifth, Mora doubled to left center, then scored on a single by Connolly. Truett McConnell scored two runs from two hits in the bottom of the inning.
The seventh saw both teams score one run to keep the game knotted.
Another two-out double, this time by Cooper, plated Weiss, who had reached on a walk in the previous at-bat.
Thomas scored one more in the top of the eighth to keep its perfect record.
Victoria Camina singled to left center, stole second base and scored on Stoltz' double to left.
Game Two
After seeing Mobile score one run in the second, Thomas tallied a pair in the fourth and two more in the fifth to earn a win over the nationally-ranked Rams.
Lauren West went the distance on the mound, allowing just five hits and striking out six in 7.0 innings.
Taisa Kirindongo recorded a home run and Cooper hit a pair of doubles in the win.
Mobile scored one run from one hit in the second inning, then two innings later, Thomas scored two to take the 2-1 lead.
Camina drew a walk then Stoltz reached on a fielder's choice opened the fourth. Mora's sac bunt moved the runners, then a single by Connolly plated Camina and a base hit from Weiss scored Stoltz.
Kirindongo led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run, giving TU the 3-1 margin. Garcia then singled to left, stole second base and scored after a single from Stoltz and a Mobile error.
