Softball Displays Power in Sweep at FSCJ

Softball Displays Power in Sweep at FSCJ
April 6, 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Santa Fe softball won two more games to extend their winning streak to five games, cruising past Florida State College at Jacksonville, 11-2 and 14-7.  
 
GAME 1 – SF 11, FSCJ 2 (5 INN.)
The Saints fell behind 2-0 after the first inning, as the Blue Wave were able to bring two runs across off starter Morgan Lebeda.
 
The Santa Fe bats responded in the top of the second, however. Lebeda helped her own cause with a two-run home run, her first of the season. A Neely Peterson single later in the inning scored two more, and the SF lead was 5-2 after an FSCJ error brought in another baserunner.
 
The lead grew to 8-2 in the top of the third inning, when the Saints belted three over the fence. Lebeda started it off with her second of the game, Madison Dixon was next up and went back-to-back, and Grace Prom got into the action with a long ball three batters later.
 
The Saints put the game away in the top of the 5th with three more runs, the first on another FSCJ error and the final two on a home run from Peterson.
 
Lebeda kept FSCJ scoreless for the fourth consecutive inning to seal the run-rule victory in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Key Statistics
Lebeda's win from the circle was the first of the season. She allowed just three hits, two earned runs and two walks while striking out two batters.
 
Santa Fe smacked five home runs in the dominant win. 
 
Lebeda was a leader for the Saints from the batter's box, going 2-of-3 with two home runs, three RBI, and two runs scored. Peterson was 3-of-4 with a home run, game-high four RBI, and a run scored. Prom and Dixon accounted for the other home runs, with Dixon finishing 2-of-2 with an RBI, walk, and two runs scored. Riley Schnyder also had a multi-hit game with two singles and a run scored. 
 
GAME 2  - SF  14, FSCJ 7
Santa Fe took early control of the season's final matchup with the Blue Wave.
 
The Saints plated five runs in the opening inning, powered once again by the long ball. Peterson had a three-run shot, and Dixon later added a two-run jack. 
 
Three more runs touched home in the second, with Peterson connecting on a two-RBI double before Ashlyn Rogers' single plated her. 
 
After Santa Fe scored one more run in the third to lead 9-0, FSCJ scored four in the third. Lebeda had an RBI in the fourth to hand the Saints a 10-4 lead, but the Blue Wave cut their deficit all the way down to three runs, 10-7, with productuve at-bats in the fourth and fifth inning.
 
After two walks, three consecutive hits in the top of the sixth inning from Rogers, Lebeda, and Madison Vozdecky bumped the SF lead back to six, 13-7.  
 
Brooke Hackim had an RBI groundout in the seventh inning to account for the game's final run, and Taylor Barrett got the final out from the circle in the 14-7 win. 
 
Key Statistics
Santa Fe had two more home runs, bringing the number in the doubleheader to an impressive seven. 
 
The winning pitcher was Taylor Barrett, who threw the first two innings and re-entered in the sixth and seventh. The freshman struck out seven in her four innings of work, and allowed four walks without conceding a hit. Lauren Moody and Gabrielle Mathre also made appearances in the circle.
 
The Saints had a season-high 16 hits in the win. Four of them came from Rogers, who had two doubles, two singles, three runs scored, and two RBI. Peterson was 2-of-2 with a home run, a double, five RBI, and two runs scored. Dixon once again crushed a home run, and Jayelyn Carter was productive in the second spot of the lineup, compiling three hits with a double, RBI, and two runs scored.  
 
Fico's Focus
"That was the most impressive offensive performance I have seen to date since taking this job. I am very proud of how well we hit throughout the order. Morgan Lebeda led the way at the plate and did a great job in the circle once she settled in after the first inning of Game 1."
 
Up Next
Santa Fe (23-10, 11-3 MFC) will travel to Mid-Florida Conference leader No. 5 College of Central Florida (33-6, 12-2 MFC) on Thursday, April 8 for two games at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.