Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Fire clinched the regular season TSC championship today with a pair of wins over the Bobcats of St. Thomas. Needing just one win to claim the title, the Fire took game one into extra innings and came out on top 2-1. Then they ran away with game two, 8-0 in five.
Brittany LaCasse took control of game one sending two bombs out of the park. Her first gave the Fire a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth before the Bobcats matched in the bottom. Then, in the top of the eighth she sent her second solo shot of the day, and fifth home run of the season, over the fence to put the Fire on top.
Susan Hinks powered through all eight innings giving up a single run on seven hits and two walks. With the win she moved to 17-5 on the season.
In game two the Fire took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI fielder's choice by Cat Maldonado and an RBI single by Sam Gale.
The second inning was scoreless before they doubled the lead in the third on two hits and three Bobcat errors.
A three up three down fourth inning on both sides of the ball gave way to the Fire's most productive inning of the day. Anna Martin led off with a single and Gale followed with a double. Then a sac fly by Brandee Pietrzak allowed Martin to cross for the first run of the inning. Gale scored on an error three batters later, then a two run double by Annie Weaver concluded the scoring.
Maldonado was in the circle for the Fire tossing all five shutout innings and giving up a single hit. She is now 11-1 on the season.
"I'm so proud of the girls and all their hard work," said Head Coach Anna Welsh. "They've really bought into the program. They really wanted to make history and were determined to win. I love this team!"
The Sun Conference tournament is set to begin on Thursday at the National Training Center in Clermont. Exact game times and dates are to be determined.
