SARASOTA, Fla. (February 13, 2024) - The bats and the 'Cats stay hot as they roll to their fifth and sixth straight victories of the season. St. Thomas Softball (6-0) continues to mash their way to victory hitting the road and taking down New College of Florida (1-11) in a Tuesday doubleheader 9-1, 9-7.

Game One Recap
Anna Toon continues to steal the show on both ends. Toon got her third win of the season off another one-hit performance picking up five strikeouts and surrendering no runs in four innings of work.

Toon brought the big bat out early to get the offense on the board, driving one over the right field fence to give STU an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. She brought in Mya Achenbach who tripled to start the game. 

Bianca Palacios has found a different strength this year, already doubling her home run total from last year, sending her second home run of the season over the centerfield wall. The three run shot put STU up 5-0 in the top of the third. 

Toon delivered once again with a two-out base hit to  right driving in Isabella Fernandez and Achenbach to put this one out of range at 7-0 in the top of the fourth. The Minnesota-native had another no-hitter going throw the first round of the lineup. She gave up her first, and only, hit of the contest in the bottom of the fourth. 

STU tacked on two in the top of the fifth to put the game in the run-rule stage. Alyssa Luna came in to close the game and giving up a run but locking in to close the game out early in five innings.

Game Two Recap
New College had their bats get on the board first putting up two in the bottom of the first. St. Thomas quickly responded in the top of the second tying it up. Kaitlynn Martinez had a two-triple to drive in one and Gabriella Gilbert followed with a double to center to bring in Martinez.

The Bobcats gathered their first lead of the game in the top of the third when Sierra Anderson doubled to center to bring in Jade Fayad. The Mighty Banyans quickly regained the lead in the bottom half off a two-run shot to center to make it 4-3.

Palacios once again came up with the big bat for her team, her third home run of the season was a three-run blast past the left field fence. This put STU up 6-4 in the top of the fifth. The Bobcats added three more insurance runs in the top of seventh which would be enough to secure the win.

New College battles back with a three run bottom half of their on, but Toon came in to pick up the save and closed the door. Melody Vizcaino got her third with four innings of work, giving up just six hits and one earned run.

St. Thomas sweeps the first ever meetings between the two teams as next season the Mighty Banyans will be joining the Sun Conference. 


Up Next
St. Thomas will take the rest of the week off and return next Tuesday to The Colonel to welcome Florida National for a doubleheader, first pitch is at 4 p.m.

-STU-