SOFTBALL PICKS UP WIN ON FINAL DAY OF SHOWTIME CLASSIC
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Morningside | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
|
Avila | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 1 |
| Final (8) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Avila | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
|
Culver-Stockton (MO) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
BRANSON, Mo. – Strong pitching and two RBI from McKayla Cotton and three RBI from Emily Branson helped Avila softball to a 9-1 win over Morningside before a loss on the international tiebreaker rule in a 3-2 loss to Culver-Stockton on the second day of the Branson Showtime Classic.
In the bottom of the first inning, back-to-back RBI singles from Stephanie Hayes and Cotton gave the Eagles an early 2-0 lead, a lead that would only grow as the game went on.
With two outs in the second inning, Branson roped a double to score Laila Rueda and Maya Richards to push Avila's lead to 4-0 after two.
The lone mark on Cotton's pitching line came from a solo homer in the top of the fourth inning. The Eagles immediately got the run back in the bottom half.
Branson picked up her third RBI of the afternoon, scoring Richards with two outs. 5-1 Avila after four.
Richards added another run in the fifth inning and the run rule occurred after Avila plated three more in the sixth: after stealing third, Rueda came around to score on an error by the catcher for the second-straight game, Abi Beaman hit an RBI double and Cotton ended the game with an RBI double of her own.
Rueda stole four more bases in the game and scored all three times she reached base.
Cotton allowed just six baserunners in her six innings in the circle, striking out four Mustang batters.
The second game saw strong pitching from both sides and a tiebreaker rule to end the contest.
In the top of the first, Branson scored Rueda after reaching first on an error and Cotton scored Hayes on another RBI double to give the Eagles an early 2-0 lead.
Culver-Stockton was kept off the scoreboard until the fourth inning, when the Wildcats scored twice on back-to-back run-scoring hits to tie the game at two.
The two teams remained scoreless into extra innings.
The international tiebreaker rule was applied as each team's previous batter was placed on second base to open the inning.
Avila was unable to capitalize in the top half and Culver-Stockton scored after back-to-back walks to load the bases and walk it off with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth.
The Eagles will now head to Cocoa Beach, Fla., for six games as part of the Space Coast Games on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.
(photo credit: Ali Nassir)
