Softball Wraps Up Nonconference Slate with Sweep of St. Petersburg

Softball Wraps Up Nonconference Slate with Sweep of St. Petersburg

Team Stats

March 13, 2021
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Santa Fe softball played their final nonconference doubleheader of the season, coming away with a sweep of visiting St. Petersburg, 6-0 in Game 1 and 3-2 in Game 2. 
 
GAME 1 – SF 6, SPC 0
The Saints broke the game open in the bottom of the second inning, bringing across five runs.
 
Four of them came off a grand slam from Madison Dixon, who cleared the bases with her team-leading third home run of the season to plate Neely Peterson, Cris'Deona Beasley, and Story Giebeig. 
 
 
Later in the inning, a Grace Prom triple scored Jayelyn Carter, and the Saints led 5-0. 
 
Adrianna Saavedra scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning to account for the final run.
 
Key Statistics
Three Saints' combined for the shutout from the circle, allowing just four St. Petersburg hits. Gabrielle Mathre started and earned the win, tossing three innings with three hits allowed, two walks, and two strikeouts. 
 
Cris'Deona Beasley followed Mathre with three more scoreless innings, conceding just one hit and two walks while striking out a batter. Taylor Barrett pitched the seventh, and struck out the side. 
 
Santa Fe had nine hits in the game, with Dixon, Giebeig, and Carter each having two. Dixon's grand slam increased her team-high RBI total this season to 19. 
 
GAME 2  - SF 3, SPC 2
The Titans scored the first run of the game in the opening inning, but the starting pitcher Barrett had three strikeouts to work her way out of any more trouble.
 
The game remained tied until the bottom of the fourth, when Santa Fe tied it up at 1-1. Prom worked her way around the bases and touched home after a Carter groundout. 
 
The Titans went in front 2-1 in the top of the fifth, rallying with two outs to bring the run across off Barrett. 
 
Santa Fe seized control in the bottom of the sixth with their own two-out production, however, taking a 3-2 lead. Peterson stepped into the box with a runner at first base, and crushed her second home run of the season to put the Saints in front, clearing the fans in right field. 
 
The Titans got two baserunners on in their final at-bats off Beasley, but the Saints pitcher got a fly out to secure the doubleheader sweep.
 
Key Statistics
Barrett struck out eight batters in five innings pitched, allowing seven hits, three walks, and just two earned runs. Beasley earned the win after pitching the sixth and the seventh, allowing just one walk and a hit-by-pitch. 
 
The Saints had just five timely hits, with none bigger than Peterson's blast. 
 
Fico's Focus
"I was very proud of how the entire team played today," said Head Coach Lindsay Fico. "We had a number of offensive leaders throughout the two games. Grace Prom continues to be a spark in the box no matter where she is in the lineup. Madison Dixon hit the ball well all day...her grand slam early in Game 1 proved to be too much for St. Pete to overcome."
 
"Our pitchers did a great job of limiting mistakes in the circle and worked ahead in most counts, which ended up being the difference today. Neely Peterson's go-ahead two-run homer was huge! It is hopefully the first of many to come now that we start conference play Tuesday. Cris'Deona Beasley proves to be a force in the circle no matter where she fits in the rotation. She brings fire and experience to our staff that fuels our defense."
 
Up Next
Santa Fe (10-7) begins Mid-Florida Conference play on Tuesday, March 16 at home against Florida State College at Jacksonville. Game 1 of the doubleheader starts at 2:00 p.m.