Spartans Rebound Against PBA

TAMPA, Fla. –  The University of Tampa softball team rebounded on Friday morning with a decisive victory over Palm Beach Atlantic, in the final home game of the year.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Final: Tampa 7 (W: Makaleigh Dooley, 24-6), PBA 1 (L: Abbey Busby, 22-12)
Records: University of Tampa Spartans (30-10, 20-7 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (27-21, 15-12 SSC)
Location: Naimoli Family Stadium || Tampa, Fla.
All-Time Series: The Spartans lead the series, 16-13; Tampa swept the Saturday double-header last year at PBA, out-scoring the Sailfish 9-4. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:

BOT 1st: Lexie Chevalier led off the game with a base-knock and moved into scoring position following a sacrifice bunt from Cristina Clauberg. With two outs, Sam Worrell walked and Maddie Farrell drove the pitch the opposite way for an RBI single to right field. 

BOT 2nd: Freshman shortstop, Stephanie Balmer, extended her hit streak to 10 games with an RBI triple which sliced down the right field line. Chevalier followed up with an extra-base hit of her own, scoring Balmer with an RBI double. With two outs, Corynn Miner lasered an RBI double into right-center field. The Spartans led 4-0 after the third inning outburst.

TOP 5th: Magnolia West poked an RBI single into center field to put the Sailfish on the board, trailing 4-1.

BOT 5th: Tampa began the inning with back-to-back walks and Emalee Jansen logged an RBI single for her 11th RBI of the year. Dooley helped herself with a two-RBI single to to extend the Spartans lead.

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Dooley pitched her third complete game of the series, and the 24th complete game in 28 starts. The right-hander struck out six batters and did not allow an earned run or a walk.
• Balmer extended her hit streak to 10 games, including a base-knock in 13 of the last 14.
• Farrell has logged a base-hit in 18 of the last 22 games, increasing her season batting average to .309.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Dooley has not allowed a walk in 21 games this season, not granting a base-on-balls in the last five games.

UP NEXT: The University of Tampa will cap off the regular season against Saint Leo on Thursday and Friday, April 25-26, as the teams battle for the conference's top spot.

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