Flagler Softball Battles Back from Large Deficit but Falls Late to End Season

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FLORENCE, S.C. – Flagler College rallied from a 7-0 deficit to take a 9-8 lead in the fifth inning only to fall short in the end 12-10 to Wingate University in an elimination game of the NCAA Division II Southeast Region No. 1 Tournament Friday night at the FMU Softball Stadium.

Flagler ended its season with a 33-22 record. Wingate improved to 39-22 overall and will have to beat top-seed Francis Marion University twice tomorrow to advance to the super regional round.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 7-0 lead, but the Saints chipped away and got four in the third, one in the fourth, and erupted for four runs in the fifth to take a 9-8 lead.

Flagler took advantage of a Wingate error to plate four unearned runs in the fifth. Jordan Moss reached on a throwing error by the Wingate third baseman and Reese Snipes scored on the play to cut the deficit to 8-6. Sydney Stewart hit a two-run double through the left side of the infield that rolled to the wall to tie the game. Emily Ricci's single to center scored Stewart from third to give the Saints a 9-8 lead.

However, the Bulldogs scored four runs in the home-half of the inning to re-gain the lead. A pair of sacrifice flies gave Wingate the lead, 10-9. A wild pitch accounted for another run.  Then four walks in a row gave the Bulldogs a three-run advantage.

Lily Honeycutt (8-5) finished the game as she tossed 2.1 innings and allowed one run on four hits. She retired the last five batters in a row.

Wingate's first two batters went a combined 4-for-7 with five runs scored and one run batted in. Kayle Hobgood collected a pair of singles and scored three runs. Damyia McFadden also finished with two singles, but she scored twice and knocked in another run. Hannah Stevens hit a three-run home run in the second inning.

Ayssa Hunter (14-7) took the loss in relief. She allowed four runs on two hits in 1.1 innings. Hunter walked six batters. Jordan Sheets started and then finished the game. Stephanie Daly tossed three innings.


Flagler's first three hitters in the line-up had a productive night. They went 6-for-10 with four runs scored and four RBI. Stewart went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI, and she scored two runs. Brooke Maher hit two singles, scored a run, and drove in a run. Emily Ricci went 2-for-3 with a double, one RBI, and she scored a run. Kiley McQuillan had two hits, including a three-run home run in the third inning. Snipes went 2-for-4 with a double and she scored two runs. Moss finished with two singles.      

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