VIERA, Fla. (March 2, 2023) – The win streak continues for the St. Thomas University (STU) Softball team (9-0) moving to nine straight. What has been a terrific start to the 2023 season, a seven-game win streak was on the line for the Bobcats. The magic traveled up to Viera where STU will begin competing in the USSSA Space Coast Games.
 
St. Thomas swept a double-header taking on NAIA opponents Michigan-Dearborn and Goshen. The Bobcats used a late inning comeback to take the game one win. Quickly moving right into the next one, STU put up early runs that carried the end.
 
Michigan-Dearborn Recap
The Bobcats got on the board first with as Natalie Kopicova drew a one out walk and scored on a double from Marla Lavado. The Wolverines were able to come back and gain the lead in the bottom half of the inning and make it 2-1.
 
UM-Dearborn attacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third to extend their lead at 4-1. St. Thomas would not worry still having 12 outs left to play.
 
Gabriella Gilbert started things off with leadoff single to center in the top of the fifth. Kopicova then was hit by a pitch followed by a base hit from Lavado to load the bases. Jayde Fayad hit into a fielder's choice and picked up the RBI bring in Gilbert. Ariana Manzanarez laid down a squeeze bunt and scored Kopicova which brought the Bobcats within one.
 
The defense quickly had a three-up three-down inning to. Keep the momentum going and get back into the dugout. Lavado had an one out double to center field to get the top of the seventh started. After being down to the last out, Manzanarez delivered a two-out double to left field to tie the game up. An errant throw from the Wolverines shortstop gave STU the lead.
 
UMD threatened in the bottom of the seventh but a line out to Manzanarez closed out the game.
 
 
Goshen Recap
St. Thomas used the momentum from the previous game to get things going early against Goshen. The top of the first had STU holding a 3-0 lead over the Maple Leafs. The triples queen, Sophia Negron, started the game in no grander fashion than a leadoff triple to left field. Kopicova then singled through the left side and scored Negron for the first run. A couple of errors and a double steal on a first and third summed up the three-run first. Goshen was ableto score one in the bottom half.
 
Gilbert once again started the inning with a leadoff base hit. Kopicova and Lavado followed suit with hits of their own as Marla drove in two on a double to left field. St. Thomas extended the lead to 5-1 in the top of the third.
 
Goshen would fight back to score three in the bottom of the fourth and cut the Bobcat lead to one.
 
The speed of Negron would show too strong getting an infield base hit to start the seventh, stealing second, then advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt and scoring on sacrifice fly. The insurance run secured the win and make it nine straight wins.
 

MVBobcats

• Natalie Kopicova:  3-for-4, four runs, two RBI, two walks
• Marla Lavado: 5-for-8, three RBI
• Melody Vizcaino: 3.2 innings pitched, three hits, no earned runs, no walks, six strikeouts
• Abbigail Smith: 4 innings pitched, two hits, two strikeouts, no earned runs, no walks

Up Next
St. Thomas will continue play at the Space Coast Games with another doubleheader Saturday.