Softball Shows Well at Paradise Cove Invite
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Louisburg College | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
|
Lake Land College | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | X | 9 | 6 | 0 |
| Final (8) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Louisburg College | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 3 |
|
College of Central Florida | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Louisburg College | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
|
Florida Southwestern State College | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 5 | 6 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Louisburg College | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 3 |
|
Salt Lake Community College | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Indian River State College | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
|
Louisburg College | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 2 | 3 | 1 |
Louisburg, N.C. - The Louisburg College Softball Team traveled to Fort Myers, Florida over this past weekend to compete in the Paradise Cove Invitational hosted by Florida Southwestern State College. The Hurricanes were the lone NJCAA DII team at the event that was compromised of some of the elite NJCAA DI programs in the nation. They came out of the weekend with a 2-3 record including wins over nationally ranked No. 4, Salt Lake, and nationally ranked No. 15, Indian River.
"I was extremely proud of the intensity that our kids played with this weekend," said 5th year Head Coach Eric Lee. "Anytime you get the opportunity to matchup against the nation's elite, there's a sense of pressure involved and I think this group handled that pressure well. We learned a lot about ourselves and I look forward to watching this team grow over the course of the season."
Game 1: DII #3 Louisburg 2, DI #15 Indian River (FL) 1
In a game that was a pitchers' duel the whole way featuring a total of five hits between the teams, the Hurricanes found a way to scratch the scoreboard enough to get the win. Ramsey Schlafer started out her 2022 campaign strong with a 2-2 effort, including a double, while scoring both Louisburg runs. The pitching combination of Carrigan Ewers, Riley Lingerfelt and Caroline White struck out 6 batters over the course of 7 innings while allowing just two hits and no earned runs. Lingerfelt was credited with the win and White picked up the save.
Game 2: Lake Land (IL) 9, DII #3 Louisburg 2
Lake Land scored early and often in this one, plating 5 of their first 6 batters, digging the Hurricanes a 5-0 hole that they could never recover from. Louisburg pitching struggled throughout the contest to find the strike zone, issuing seven free passes via walks and hit batters. Offensively, the Canes had seven different batters tally hits, but they were unable to string them together to create offensive output.
Game 3: DII #3 Louisburg 10, DI #4 Salt Lake (UT) 7
In the final game of day one, the Hurricanes again started in a hole - this time it was 4-0 after the top of the 1st - but the Louisburg bats came alive, outscoring Salt Lake 10-3 after that point. The Louisburg bullpen combination of Ellen Palya and Carrigan Ewers was dynamic in the game, going the final five innings while giving up just three hits and striking out five. Palya would be credited with the win, while Ewers got the save. Offensively, the Hurricanes had several key contributors led by Lark Collins, who belted her first home run of the season while collecting four RBI and drawing a walk.
Game 4: DII #3 Louisburg 8, DI #13 Central Florida 9 (8 Innings)
In Saturday's opener, the Hurricanes trailed 8-1 headed to the bottom of the 7th inning when the offensive onslaught began. Louisburg hit three home runs in the bottom of the 7th, capped off by Ramsey Schlafer's 3-run opposite field shot, to tie the game. Prior to the Schlafer home run were a Brianna Tucker 2-run home run and a Lark Collins no-doubter to dead center field. Caroline White went 3-for-4 in the game with an RBI to add to the Hurricane attack. A booted ball in the top of the 8th inning led to a run scoring for Central Florida and the Hurricanes couldn't respond - stranding the tying run at 3rd base. Ellen Palya pitched a gutsy 4.1 innings allowing only two earned runs, two hits and striking out five. The Hurricane bullpen let things get away in the 5th and 6th, allowing 5 runs in those two innings.
Game 5: DI #1 Florida Southwestern 5, DII #3 Louisburg 3
The Hurricanes couldn't overcome the free pass in the final game of the tournament, issuing five total walks and a hit by pitch, three of which eventually scored. FSW's all-time home run leader, Feline Poot, sent a lazy fly ball to right field in the 1st, but the wind blew the ball right out of the ballpark for a quick 3-0 lead for the Buccaneers. The Hurricanes answered in the 2nd with three runs of their own including a Ramsey Schlafer 2-RBI single and a Foster Sharpe single. That's all the offense the Hurricanes could muster up though, falling 5-3 to the reigning DI National Champions.
Next Up: The Hurricanes travel to Christopher Newport University for a preseason exhibition contest on Sunday, February 20th. First pitch is slated for 1pm.