WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The College of Coastal Georgia softball team split their Friday twin bill with the Keiser Seahawks on Friday afternoon.
Game One: CCGA 4, Keiser 1
The Mariners (25-5, 6-2 TSC) got right to work in the first inning, taking advantage of a throwing error by Keiser (28-7, 6-2 TSC) to score Rylee Mills and take a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first. Starter Bryce Peacock did allow a one out single in the bottom half, but stranded the runner as CCGA took their lead into the second.
The Mariners got the bases loaded in the second inning thanks to a walk by MacKenzie Kagee, a catcher's interference, and another Keiser error, but left the bases loaded on a groundout by Peacock, leaving the score 1-0. Peacock sat down the Seahawks in order in the bottom half of the inning, preserving the lead into the third.
The Mariners struck again in the third inning, adding a run to their lead. Rori Rhodes got the inning started with a one out single and stole second. Rily Andrews reached on the third Keiser error of the day, moving Rhodes to third. The very next batter, Kagee, singled home Rhodes making the score 2-0.
Not much noise was made again until the sixth inning when the Mariners doubled their lead. With two outs in the inning, Kagee singled to get a runner on base. Alyssa Haggerty followed with a single of her own, moving pinch runner Morgan Coleman to second. MacKenzie Southerland followed suit with a double, scoring Coleman, and Zoe Johnston-Hadaway scored Haggerty by reaching on another Keiser error, making the score 4-0 headed to the bottom of the sixth. Keiser failed to crack the scoreboard as we went to the final frame with CCGA leading 4-0.
In the top of the seventh, the Mariners got two runners in scoring position, but could not add on, as Peacock went back out looking for three more outs for the game one victory.
Keiser did their best to make it interesting in the bottom half, getting a two out triple from Reid who came around to score on a single from Perez, but it was too little too late as Peacock struck out the last batter, ending the contest in a 4-1 Mariner victory.
Rhodes and Kagee both finished 2-4 at the plate, with Kagee adding a pair of RBI's. Peacock threw a complete game in the circle, allowing just five hits and one earned run, striking out five.
Game Two: CCGA 1, Keiser 4
Keiser responded quickly in the first inning of the second game, scoring three runs right out of the gates. The inning started with three straight hits before Mills could get the first out, and the Seahawks added another single and a walk to their inning totals, scoring three times on four hits in the inning, taking a 3-0 lead into the second.
CCGA responded with a run of their own to cut the lead in the top of the second. Rhodes doubled to center, moved to third on a throwing error by Keiser, and scored on a single from Haggerty. Mills sat down the side in order in the bottom half, sending us to the third with Keiser leading 3-1.
After the Mariners went down in order in the top of the fourth, the Seahawks threatened in the fourth, but Rhodes threw the runner out at home trying to tag up, keeping the deficit at two.
In the fifth, Keiser got their fourth and final run of the game thanks to a leadoff double that came around to score on a sac fly, sending the game to the sixth with the Mariners now trailing 4-1.
The Mariners got just one base runner in the last two innings, dropping game two of the double header.
The Mariners mustered just four hits in the entire game, and got their lone RBI from Haggerty. Mills went six innings, allowing nine hits, four earned runs, and two walks compared to three strikeouts.
The rubber match of the series is set for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday in West Palm Beach.
