Tampa Sends Its Seniors' Out with a Win
UT and Rollins split the saturday doubleheader as the teams wrapped up their seasons
TAMPA, Fla – The University of Tampa softball team concluded their 2016 season at home against the Rollins College Tars in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader. The Tars took game one of the day by a 3-0 final score and the Spartans, after recognizing their three seniors in between the two games, took game two by a 2-1 final score.
With the final series in the book, Tampa finishes the year at 18-21 overall and 10-14 in Sunshine State Conference play. Rollins moves to 37-14-1 on the year and 17-7 in the SSC.
Freshman Makaleigh Dooley (6-10) was the pitcher of choice for the second game of the series as she went the full seven innings of action. Dooley gave up seven hits, two walks and the three runs while also striking out three batters. The Tars got to her in the fourth inning as they scored two and added an insurance run in the seventh inning.
Opposite Dooley and starting for Rollins was Grace Street (11-3). The pitcher shut out the Spartans despite giving up nine hits in the game as she also got two batters to strike out. Street pitched 6.1 innings as Niki Fogle came in to complete the game and got the final two outs for her fifth save of the season, working out of a bases loaded jam giving up no hits and no runs.
At the plate in the first game, Tampa was able to tally nine hits but were not able to score any runs. On three occasions the team had two runners on base but could not get them home. In the bottom of the seventh the Spartans were able to load the bases with just one out as sophomore Taylor Farrell doubled to start the inning, left fielder Laurie Kostecka singled to the pitcher and centerfielder Sahrina Cortes singled to the shortstop. However, Fogle would come in and close the door on UT to finish the game.
In the circle for the second game for Tampa was senior Alyssa Bache (12-10) making her 23rd and final start for the Spartans. Bache was on her game, going all seven innings for her 17th complete game of the year. She gave up just four hits in the game, shutting out the Tars for six innings and surrendering the lone run in the seventh but bouncing back strong and getting the final two outs to end the game. Bache walked two batters and added another eight strikeouts as she finished her season with 172 total stikeouts.
In the meantime, the Tars went with Niki Fogle (24-10) who made her second start of the series. Fogle pitched the complete six innings, giving up the two runs on seven hits with no walks and striking out three batters.
Doing the offensive work for Tampa were freshman Cristina Clauberg who went 2 for 3 with 1 run scored and Bre Setree who went 3 for 3 with 2 RBI in the game. Right fielder Kelsey Humphrey also had a solid day at the plate as she went 1 for 2 and scored the other run for UT. The first run for UT came in the third inning as Humphrey singled to begin the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cortes. Clauberg then hit a single of her own, moving the runner to third with just one out. Setree would get a single between the shortstop and thirdbaseman that brought the run across. In the bottom of the fifth, the same duo of Clauberg and Setree combined to score the eventual game winner as Clauberg doubled with two outs and Setree hit a double herself to left field to score Clauberg.
The Spartans conclude their season with the series complete and send their three seniors out with a win in their final game.
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