GAME 1 PDFGAME 2 PDF February 24, 2016 PENSACOLA, Fla. –
Emily Pettigrew had four hits, scored four times and drove in three to help West Florida to a doubleheader sweep of Columbus State in the home opener at the UWF Softball Complex.
Pettigrew was 4-for-5 with a walk, a sacrifice and a stolen base for UWF (14-4), which ran its win streak to five games.
Caitlin Steel and
Kalyn Chapman each had two hits on the day.
Columbus State (10-9) saw its losing streak extend to five games.
Game 1: West Florida 7, Columbus State 2West Florida started the scoring in the second inning, when
Rhiannon Sassman led things off with a walk. Pettigrew then laid down a bunt single and
Kayla Rosario reached on a bunt. Pettigrew came in to score two batters later on a fielder's choice from
Caitlin Steel.
UWF added four more in the third, as
Kathleen Smiley, Pettigrew and Rosario picked up RBI singles, and
Caitlin Steel recorded a sacrifice fly. It was Smiley's 18th RBI of the year, tying her with Sassman for the team high, and it put UWF up 5-0 after three.
The fourth saw more scoring from the Argos, as
Meghan Toney and
Jacey Castro each drew walks to lead off the inning. Pettigrew came up two batters later and lifted a single into left-center field, bringing both runners in and extending the UWF lead to 7-0.
Becca Taylor's day came to an end after the fourth, and she allowed just four hits in as many shutout innings, while striking out one and walking none. Her record improved to 7-2 with the victory, and those seven wins are the fourth-most in the Gulf South Conference.
Sarah Maloney came in relief of Taylor in the fifth and allowed just two hits in her three innings of work.
Game 2: West Florida 5, Columbus State 3Chapman (4-1) went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI at the plate and struck out 10 in a complete game effort in the circle to lead the Argos to a 5-3 win in the nightcap.
Chapman put the Argos ahead in the second with a 2-run home run to right center. It was her fourth long-ball of the year.
The Cougars fought back in the top of the sixth with a pair of runs on three hits and a wild pitch to tie the game at two.
UWF answered in the home-half of the frame, scoring three runs with one out when five-consecutive batters reached base. Sassman started the rally when her fly ball to straight-away center was dropped. Pettigrew followed with a single inside the bag at third to move Sassman to second. Chapman drove in the go-ahead run with a single to left. Steel followed a
Jessica Wilkinson pitch-hit single with her own base knock to score Pettigrew. UWF plated the final run on a
Rachel Wright ground out.
West Florida will start a three-game series against Valdosta State with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at 1. Sunday's single game will also begin at 1 p.m.
For information on all UWF athletics, visit
www.GoArgos.com.
