Softball team splits conference doubleheader with Daytona State College

The Eastern Florida State College softball team rallied back in the seventh inning, but Daytona State College held on to split with the Titans on Tuesday.

The Titans, who are now 16-12 in the Citrus Conference, won the first game 2-0 and fell short in Game 2 6-5 on the road.

The 19^th-ranked Titans shut out the No. 10 Falcons in a battle of top 20 teams in the nation. Freshman pitcher Avery Velazquez got out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning, striking out the next two hitters to keep the game scoreless.

Velazquez then helped herself in the top of the third hitting an RBI double to make it 1-0. The Titans would score a run in the fifth inning and lead 2-0.

It was all Velazquez would need who allowed six hits and struck out seven in the win. Velazquez finished with two hits in the game.

Daytona State College's Ava Unser took the loss, going seven innings and also struck out seven but allowed two runs and walked two.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Titans looked like they tied the game with two outs in the seventh inning, but the umpire called interference on a ground ball from Ashley Grieser, ending the game.

Down 6-3 in the seventh inning, Kayla Fanning would score on Aracelis Jimenez single and then Jessica Merk made it 6-5 on a single to centerfield scored Jimenez. It looked like the Titans may tie the game when Ashley Grieser hit a groundball to shortstop but the shortstop made a nice grab and the field ump called interference as Daytona State College held on for the win.

Avery Velazquez went 2-for-3 with a triple and a home run, scoring twice as well as driving in two. Merk drove in two runs in the second game.

The Titans will be back home on Saturday afternoon as they will host St. Petersburg College in a conference doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Titans will honor the sophomore class before the game.