Softball team splits a slugfest with Seminole State College

The Eastern Florida State College softball team split a Citrus Conference doubleheader at home on Saturday.

The No. 14 ranked Titans lost the first game 8-7 to No. 13 Seminole State College and then rallied back to defeat the Raiders 13-9 in Game 2.

In Game 1, Seminole State College came out with two runs in the top of the first inning, but the Titans struck back with a run in the first inning and then two in the second on a Faith Campos two-run single.

Seminole State would tie the game in the third inning but the Titans would take the lead once again in the fourth inning as Brooke Theisen had a sacrifice fly and McKenzie Jewell had an RBI single. They would extend the lead to 7-3 in the fifth inning as Maci Vonderstrasse had a two-run single.

Starting pitcher Hannah Strickland settled in, holding the Seminole State College offense in check until the sixth inning.

The Raiders would score five times in the top of the sixth inning to take an 8-7 lead. Samantha Titzel allowed just one hit over the final three innings to pick up the win for Seminole State College.

Campos finished with three hits while Marisa Shoudt, Livie Davis and Kyla Leppin each had two hits as the Titans had 12 hits in the game.

In Game 2, the Titans took the lead with a five-run third inning as Eastern Florida State College used their legs to create scoring chances and it paid off.

But Seminole State College would score three times in the fourth inning to tie the game and then scored four times in the fifth to take a commanding lead.

Jewell and Leppin led off the bottom of the fifth with doubles and Jewell would score on Davis' single and then Davis and Kayla Fanning scored on Samantha Clark's double to pull the Titans to within one run.

After a strong inning from Alanna O'Brien, the Titans bats came back to the plate and took the lead on Leppin's RBI single. Up 10-9, the Titans would break the game open when Borkey hit an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall for a three-run home run. It was Borkey's second home run of the season and propelled the Titans to a victory.

O'Brien picked up the win in relief. Theisen, Leppin, Davis and Borkey each had two hits in the win.

Eastern Florida State College is now 3-7 in the conference and will have a busy week next week as they will travel to Polk State College for a conference doubleheader on Tuesday before returning to Titan Softball Complex Thursday.