WU-STU l WU-WIU
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The No. 1 seed and 24th nationally ranked Warner University Royals softball team split their games today in The Sun Conference Softball Tournament played at the Diamondplex in Winter Haven, Fla. The Royals were shutout 5-0 by No. 4 seed St. Thomas University in their postseason opener and bounced back to defeat cross-town rival Webber International University 1-0 (9 innings) in an extra innings thriller.
Bobcats pitching duo Amanda Heyl and Nicki Sanchez combined to shutout the Royals while holding them to only six hits in the game and snapping the Royals eight-game win streak.
Tabatha Martin was a bright spot for the Royals, contributing half the Royals hits as she went a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate.
Carissa Albizu led the Bobcats with three hits and scored three of the Bobcats five runs. St. Thomas opened the game with a RBI single up the middle from All-Conference catcher Cindy Castrillon and never looked back. St. Thomas would go on to score in the second, fourth and fifth innings before Albizu capped off the game by scoring her third run of the game.
In the elimination game, fourth time proved to be the charm for the Royals as they finally were able to defeat Webber International’s two-time All-Conference pitcher Kristen Stewart after four attempts over the past two seasons. The task was not easy as Stewart and Royals All-Conference pitcher Kaitlyn Grimail engaged in a pitching duel for the ages with neither surrendering a run in regulation, forcing the game into extra innings.
Grimail earned her ninth win of the season after pitching the complete game and holding the Warriors to only five hits while striking out four batters and surrendering two walks. Stewart provided stout pitching for the Warriors as well as she too pitched the complete game and held the Royals to seven hits, one run, and struck out three batters.
The lone run of the game came in the top of the ninth on a RBI single from Franki Grimes to drive in Martin who hit a single earlier in the inning to get on base. The Warriors threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth as Stewart hit a two-out single to left field to get on base. Krystan Mahowald followed with a single of her own to right field; however Calshyra Dillard who pinch ran for Stewart over extended the play and tried to tie the game but was thrown out at home by Kaitlyn Wilbanks.
Wilbanks and Rebecca Powell led the Royals at the plate with two hits apiece while Stewart led the game with three hits.
The Royals now live to play to another day and will look to avenge their Saturday afternoon loss to the Bobcats when they face St. Thomas in the 12 p.m. elimination game.