CLERMONT, Fla. -- St. Thomas concluded an eight-game trip to the Spring Tournament at the National Training Center with a 8-1 victory over Mount Vernon Nazarene on Wednesday afternoon. The Bobcats went 7-1 in the tournament, which included a five-game win streak to finish the event.

Bobcats starting pitcher Greta Longagnani earned the win after allowing just one run over four innings pitched. Jessica Castiglione came in to relieve Longagnani in the fifth, and pitched three shutout innings to close out the win. Longagnani and Castiglione combined to hold Mount Vernon Nazarene scoreless over the final six innings. The Bobcats (8-4) fell behind 1-0 in the first inning, but tied the game in the second. Jamie Gonzalez singled, and was moved up the basepath on a Jessica Matias sacrifice bunt. Carson Catasus singled to advance Gonzalez to third. She then stole home for STU's first run.

The Bobcats added two more runs in the third on an sacrifice RBI by Melody Grafals that scored Meghan Riddle, followed by a Longagnani RBI-single that brought home Penton. Riddle then drove in Alexis Castroman on an RBI single in the fourth to extend the lead to 4-1.

The scoring parade continued in the fifth as Grafals raced home on passed ball, and Gonzalez's sac RBI drove in Longagnani. Riddle later cashed in with an RBI-triple to score Castiglione, and then advanced home on a passed ball to blow the game open in the sixth.

Mount Vernon Nazarene fell to 1-3.

The Bobcats head to the Mobile Tournament beginning Friday in Gulf Shores, Ala.

 

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