TUCSON, ARIZONA – The Ancilla softball team began their third day of their spring trip in Arizona with a five inning loss to North Central Missouri College 13-4. The Chargers bounced back in their second game with a 3-1 victory over Douglas College in eight innings.
Ancilla fell behind 5-1 in the opener before North Central Missouri pounded out eight runs in the top of the fourth. Ancilla tried to answer in the bottom of the fifth, but could only muster a three run inning. The Chargers scattered ten hits including a two hit game from Brittany Probasco, Mariah Miller, and Brooke Stout.
“Too many errors and a lack of execution killed us,” said Ancilla coach Scott Reese. “We matched their hit total, but gave up too many four and five out innings.”
Ancilla opened up the scoring in game two when Stout led off the game with a single down the first base line, moved to second on a Morgan Peoni sacrifice, and scored when Probasco reached base on an error. Douglas tied the game in the second with one run in their half of the inning. No other scoring occurred until the eighth inning. The Chargers started the inning with Peoni on second, as part of the international tie breaker. Probasco started the production for Ancilla by moving Peoni to third with a single to right. Mariah Miller followed with a hard shot to third base. Peoni, running on contact, slid under the tag of the throw to home, leaving Probasco and Miller at first and second. After an out in the inning, Tori Newsome loaded the bases with a single to left. One out later, Madyson Price drew a walk and picked up a RBI, completing the scoring and giving Ancilla a 3-1 lead. Abbey Renner, in relief of starter Newsome, struck out the last two batters of the game with runners on second and third to earn the victory.
“I loved the effort that our team put together in this game,” began Reese. “We kept up the intensity level and took advantage of opportunities, especially in the eighth. It was a fun game to be involved with while watching the growth and poise of this team.”
Ancilla (4-3) takes on Lamar Community College, who they lost to earlier in the week 5-1, in a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon.
