AVE MARIA, Fla. (March 5, 2023) – Sun Conference play did not stop the momentum the St. Thomas University (STU) Softball team (17-2, 2-0 SUN) has had to start out the season. St. Thomas picked up wins in game one and two to secure the opening series win. The Bobcats dropped game three 5-3 to the Gyrenes and split the doubleheader.
 
Game one of today's doubleheader saw a tight contest until the final innings. Kaitlin Spalding started in the circle once again going further into the game at with four and third innings pitched. Spalding gave up just two hits, one earned run, and one free pass. Spalding is now 6-0 on the season.
 
Marla Lavado and Natalie Kopicova took care of the rest with the bats. Combined, both upperclassman went 4-for-5 driving in five of the six runs.
 
Lavado had STU up in the first inning driving in Gabriela Gilbert on a single to center field. Ave Maria would then come back to tie it up at one in the bottom of the third.
 
The Bobcats came back to score five runs in the final three innings scoring in each, two in the fifth, two in the sixth, and one in the seventh. 
 
An RBI-triple from Kopicova drove in Gilbert in the top of the fifth who singled to lead things off. Lavado then came right behind and singled to right field to drive in Kopicova. 
 
A two-out rally sparked in sixth as Emma Encarnacion drew a walk to keep the inning alive. Three straight productive at-bats followed as Sophia Negron singled through the left side, Gilbert walked, and Kopicova secured two more runs with a single to right center.
 
Jade Fayad did it all herself in the seventh to secure the final run leading off with a triple and scoring on a wild pitch in the at-bat after.
 
Abbigail Smith came in and closed the door to earn the save for the Bobcats. Smith allowed just one hit and then retired seven straight to close out the game with back to back three up three down innings. Smith picked up her second save of the season.
 
 
Game two started out a little different than what the Bobcats are used to as they trailed 1-0 after the bottom of the first. The deficit did not last long as STU bounced back in the top of the second with two runs to take a 2-1 advantage. 
 
Ave Maria quickly bounced back and regained the lead with a successful squeeze play in the top of the third and set things tied at two all. The Gyrenes regained their lead with a two run bottom of the fourth.
 
St. Thomas able to scratch for a run in the top of the fifth to bring it down to a one run game. Ave Maria gave themselves a cushion with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
 
The Bobcats would not go away easily as the top of the order approached for the final three outs. Although a valiant effort was set to put runners on board, the Bobcats would fall in a game ending double play.
 
Three different pitchers were used for the Bobcats as Melody Vizcaino got the start in series finale. Vizcaino threw two innings giving up two runs on three hits. Spalding came into relief and only went one and two thirds giving up two runs as well. Smith came into relief in the bottom of the fourth and would remain in the circle for the remainder of the contest.
 
St. Thomas will return to the USSSA Space Coast Games for two more games against Aquinas and Indiana Tech before getting back into conference action on the weekend.