Softball team sweeps Florida Gateway

The Eastern Florida State College softball team earned a doubleheader sweep Thursday afternoon at Titan Softball Complex.

The Titans improved to 13-3 overall with a 7-2 win in Game 1 and then an 8-0 win in Game 2 against Florida Gateway College.

In Game 1, Avery Velazquez was sharp once again retiring the first 12 hitters she faced on her way to her ninth victory of the season and seventh complete game, striking out four.

While Velazquez was holding Florida Gateway in check, the Titans took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Aracelis Jimenez singled, stole second and scored on an Ashley Corazzini groundout. They would strike for two more runs in the fourth inning as Ashley Grieser walked and then Martha Jones singled. Kayla Fanning drove in a run and then Jessica Merk, who had come in for Jones, would score to make it 3-0.

The Titans added three more runs in the fifth inning as Velazquez and Corazzini both singled and would score and Isabel Otero walked and scored. Eastern Florida State College added another run in the sixth as Aracelis Jimenez opened with a triple and scored on a Velazquez groundout. Kayla Fanning went 3-for-3 while Jimenez and Corazzini each had two hits.

In Game 2, Luci Walters tossed a complete game shutout, allowing just one hit over six innings, striking out three. Walters picked up her fourth win and fourth complete game of the season.

The Titans got on the board in the second inning as Grieser and Merk walked to start the inning and both scored on Cora Middleton's single. Middleton would also score in the inning.

They added a run in the third inning and then three more times in the fifth inning and won the game when Merk hit a bases-loaded single to post an 8-0 win.

Jimenez had three hits in the second game while Emma George had two hits and scored twice in the game. Grieser and Merk scored three times.

Eastern Florida State College will travel to South Florida State College for a doubleheader on Tuesday beginning at 4 p.m. The Titans will open the Citrus Conference season on Feb. 25 against Miami Dade College at home.