WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – In a wild, extra-inning shootout, St. Thomas (9-26, 4-12 TSC) dropped game one of a Sun Conference series 13-10 to host Keiser (15-18, 5-11 TSC). The game featured several lead changes and tied scores until ending in the bottom of the ninth on a Seahawk walk-off.
St. Thomas was led by second baseman
Melody Grafals who went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double, four RBI, two run scored and a stolen base.Â
Alysha Coyle (3-5, 2 RBI) and
Brandi Bunker (2-5, 3 RS, SB) also recorded multiple-hit games.
Keiser took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second, before the Bobcats responded with a six-run third inning to take a 6-1 advantage. In the top of the third,
Dayma Pla started the big inning with a run scored on a passed ball. Â Grafals then hit an RBI-single that scored
Michelle Murch followed by a sacrifice fly by
Alliyah Sands scoring Bunker. After a pitching change, STU scored three more runs in the frame on an RBI ground out by
Jennifer Acevedo that scored Grafals followed by a 2-RBI single by Coyle scoring
Emily Santos and
Alexis Castroman.
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The Seahawks came right back with a big inning of their own, scoring five runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game 6-6 after three innings. STU retook the lead however in the top of the fourth as an RBI-single by Sands scored Bunker.
With the score 7-6 in the top of the sixth and Bunker again on base, Grafals blasted a home run over the left field fence to give the Bobcats a three-run advantage. KU would not go away however, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game 9-9.
After a scoreless seventh inning, the game went into extra innings. The Bobcats took a one-run lead as Grafals hit an RBI-double to score Pla in the top of the eighth. The Seahawks tied the game once again in the bottom of the eighth. STU was held scoreless in the top of the ninth, before KU came away victorious with a three-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth.
The series continues Friday in West Palm Beach with a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
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