Lady Warriors are Bested by Red Hawks
Pitcher's duel in game 2 highlights day
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
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2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | X | 12 | 12 | 0 |
The Nelson Lady Warriors softball team (18-26) dropped both ends of a doubleheader on the road at Benedictine University in Mesa, AZ, falling 12-4 in Game 1 (run-rule) and a heart-breaking 2-1 loss in extra innings in Game 2.
Game 1: Benedictine 12, Nelson 4 (5 innings – run-rule)
The Warriors jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Vanessa Philpot singled and Estevannie Rojas blasted her 6th home run of the season over the centerfield wall. However, Benedictine answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the first, before adding two more in the second and three in the third to build a 7-2 lead.
Nelson scratched across a run in the fourth when Destiny Medina doubled in Stephany Aguirre, but the Red Hawks responded with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to blow the game open. Rojas added one final RBI single in the fifth to score Emily Quigg, but it wasn't enough to prevent the run-rule from ending the game early, invoked after just 4.5 innings with the final score 12-4.
Game 2: Benedictine 2, Nelson 1 (8 innings)
Game 2 turned into a tremendous pitchers' duel between Warriors' Kelly Katalbas and the Red Hawks' Alana Proskow. Both hurlers were outstanding, keeping the game scoreless through seven full innings and forcing extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Nelson finally broke the combined shutout. With Emily Quigg placed on second as the ghost runner, Vanessa Philpot moved her to third with a groundout. Estevannie Rojas then delivered a clutch sacrifice fly to center field to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.
Benedictine answered in the bottom half using nearly the same formula to tie the game. However, they kept clawing and with runners on second and third and two outs, Alexa Rice singled to right-center on a full count to drive in the walk-off winning run, handing Lady Warriors a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in eight innings.
Vanessa Philpot had a great day at the plate, finishing 4-7, pushing her batting average up to .278 on the season. Kelly Katalbas was an ace in the circle, throwing 7.2inn., allowing just 6 hits, 2 runs, none earned, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts, all on 136 pitches, 91 of which were strikes.
See the Nelson Warriors' softball page for their upcoming schedule.
Do not forget to follow Nelson Athletics on X at @NelsonWarriors and Instagram at @nelsonwarriors.athletics.