NWF Defeats Galveston 10-1 In Must-Win Elimination Game
OXFORD, Ala. – On Thursday evening, Northwest Florida State softball secured a 10-1 (five-innings) victory over Galveston College in a must-win elimination game, advancing them into Friday's bracket and keeping their National Championship hopes alive.
The Raiders' offense was firing on all cylinders, amassing ten runs on 12 hits, including six extra-base hits. Gyvan Hammons was electric at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two triples and a double, adding one RBI and three runs to her performance. Ashlyn Shirah stepped up when it mattered most, totaling three RBIs on two hits, including one double. Christina Mason went 2-for-3 in the game with a triple in the first and a double in the fourth, each bringing in a run, giving her a pair of RBIs. Britt Bourgouyne also had a solid day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.
Another major factor in the win was the Raiders pitching. Cailyn Heyl got the start in the circle for the Raiders and tossed 2.0 innings, allowing one run and one walk, adding three strikeouts before being replaced by Tori Taylor. Taylor finished the final three innings, allowing one hit, no runs, and struck out one batter.
The Whitecaps got on the board early with a pair of hits in the first, including a two-out RBI single to center, plating one run. However, this would be the only run the team could produce for the remainder of the contest.
The Raiders responded in the bottom half of the first inning when Gyvan Hammons led off with a triple. Mason's two-out double to left field brought Hammons home, and a single up the middle by Bourgoyne allowed Mason to score from second, putting Northwest Florida in the lead at 2-1.
Northwest Florida added to its lead in the second inning with a trio of two-out hits by Hammons, Shirah, and Sister Arnold. Hammons began the rally with another triple, followed by a Shirah double down the left line, scoring Hammons, and an Arnold single to right center, bringing home Shirah from second. This gave the Raiders a comfortable 5-1 lead heading into the third.
The Raiders added to their lead in the fourth thanks to more timely hitting with runners on base. Shirah opened the scoring with an RBI single up the middle, plating Sophia Jones from third, while Hammons advanced to third and scored on the throw. Shirah scored on a wild pitch, giving Northwest Florida a six-run lead. Mason followed with an RBI triple to right, bringing home Arnold from third. Bourgoyne brought home Arnold with an RBI ground out to second base, giving the Raiders a sizable 10-1 advantage.
Taylor shut the door on the Whitecaps in the top of the fifth, securing the Raiders' 58th victory of the year and sending them into tomorrow's bracket, where they look to earn two more victories for a spot in Saturday's National Championship. The Raiders are scheduled to play (5) Temple tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. (CDT) in another elimination game. The winner of this game will play again at 6:00 p.m., and they await the loser of the (1) McLennan and (2) Indian River game for a spot in the National Championship Saturday.