 "Photo: Ron Besser")
The University of West Florida exploded with 27 hits in their final day at the Eckerd College Triton Spring Invitational, defeating Flagler College, 7-1, and University of Tampa, 9-2.
The Argonauts finished the weekend’s tournament with a 5-1 record, dropping a single game to No. 15 Nova Southeastern. Overall, UWF is now 9-2, as pitcher Jillian Lafrance improves to 8-2.
As a team, the Argos tallied 11 hits in their first game, as Shannon Miles found a hot bat in her 3-for-4 outing. The senior blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the first that scored Amber Ingram and Melissa Chastang who had reached on back-to-back singles, along with Lafrance who was on as the result of a Saints miscue.
Miles then tacked on her fifth RBI in the third to again plate Ingram. With a five-run cushion underneath UWF, the Saints pushed across their only run off a leadoff homerun from leftfielder Brittney Hatern.
The Argos responded with insurance runs in the fourth and sixth innings, driven in by Chastang and Lafrance. To wrap up the weekend, UWF opened up on Tampa to pound out 16 hits.
The Spartans came to bat first, and knocked in two runs on two hits for a 2-0 lead in the first. UWF responded in a big way, as Lafrance only allowed one other hit for the remainder of the game.
In the bottom half of the inning, Karri Bisbee led off with a walk, and Chastang and Ingram drew walks to load the bases for the meat of the Argo lineup. Miles and Lafrance answered the call, each picking up an RBI to tie the ball game at 2-2.
A four-hit second inning for the Argo bats plated two more for a two-run lead at 4-2. Tampa halted the scoring for the next two innings, but a relentless UWF squad came back for more in the fifth.
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