PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. | Florida Memorial earned their first victory of the season in a 8-0 routing of Fort Lauderdale at Broward College South. The win marks the first career victory for first year head coach Charlee Combs at FMU.
Gm. 1 - FMU 8 - Ft. Lauderdale 0 (5 innings)
The Lions wasted no time in the first inning and took a quick 2-0 lead when
McKenna Dawes generated a 2-RBI double to center field which scored both
Heidy Olivo and
Ciara Justice.
Florida Memorial added pressure in the second inning when
Ciera Taylor and
Emily Albelo scored, bringing the score to 4-0. In the third,
Trinity Hobley hit a two-RBI-double to left field that brought home
Breanna Reyes and Dawes.
Later in the contest,
Ciera Taylor produced a sacrifice-RBI that allowed Hobley to touch home plate. In the fifth inning, Reyes stole home to end the game early due to a run rule.
FMU produced stellar pitching throughout the game as
Gabriela Pinto (1-1) earned her first victory at FMU, striking out a total of four Eagles batters and allowing just four hits as she pitched a complete game.
Gm. 2 - FMU 3 - Ft. Lauderdale 6
In a classic, old-fashion, pitching duel, FMU's
Breana Morales and UFTL's Kylie Brooks battled it out on the mound, allowing just one total run throughout the first five innings as the Eagles led 1-0.
In the top of the sixth, Fort Lauderdale added another run to take a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, Florida Memorial's bats came to life when Reyes produced a sacrifice-fly RBI that brought home Olivo. Moments later,
Karah Atkins produced an RBI-single that brought home Kayla Jade Morlaes to tie the game. Shortly after, Taylor generated a sacrifice-fly RBI, which allowed
Aleah Killebrew to come home, giving the Lions a 3-2 lead heading to the top of the seventh.
With their backs against the wall, Fort Lauderdale poured in four runs in clutch fashion, taking a 6-3 lead as relief pitcher
Bryanna Curry (0-1) allowed three runs, but was put in a tough spot with multiple runners on base when she entered the game.
Morales struck out five Eagles batters and allowed three runs and five hits in six innings pitched before being replaced. Atkins and teammate
Ciara Justice led the Lions with two hits each.
The Lions fall to 1-3 on the season as they continue to prepare for conference play which begins later this month.
FMU returns to action on Friday, Feb. 24 as they travel to Georgia to face Paine in non-conference competition.
