Ponte Vedra’s softball team split a pair of non-district games at home last week. The Sharks were victimized by errors March 6, allowing three unearned runs in a 4-3 loss to Trinity Christian. Then they bounced back with a solid 7-1 errorless win over Fletcher March 8.
The Trinity game, a make-up of an earlier rained out matchup, saw the Christians jump out early with an unearned run in the first inning. But the Sharks answered with a run in the third. Scotland David laced a single to left and moved to third on Quinlan Richmond’s infield single off the pitcher’s glove. With two outs, Farley Callaghan stroked a solid single to left scoring David.
After Trinity regained the lead in the fifth with a single run, the teams traded scoreless innings until the seventh, when two more unearned runs in the top of the seventh gave the visitors a 4-1 advantage.
Still the Sharks weren’t ready to pack it in. After lead-off singles by Michelle Leone and David, Callaghan lined a single to left for her third hit of the game, loading the bases. Taylor Bradshaw picked up an RBI with a groundout to third scoring Leone. David was thrown out at third on Richmond’s infield grounder and Richmond would later score when Bailey Wagoner lined a base hit to center leaving the Sharks trailing 4-3.The Sharks had runners on second and third but weren’t able to deliver the knockout blow.
Leone and Callaghan had three hits for Ponte Vedra in the loss while pitcher Michelle Holder and David each had two.
Things were more promising for the Sharks against Fletcher. They scored three times in the third inning then cruised to a 7-1 win.
Bradshaw’s base on balls started matters for the Sharks. She moved over on Catherine Beaton’s perfect bunt base hit. Pitcher Michelle Holder then doubled down the left field line, plating Bradshaw and moving Beaton to third. Kiley Hennessey’s sac fly delivered Beaton, and Holder would score on a Fletcher error.
The Sharks put the game out of reach in the fourth inning, scoring four times before a batter was retired. Holder opened the inning with a single to center followed by a walk to Hennessey and Olivia Bruch’s bunt single. David’s base hit to center scored Holder and Hennessey. Richmond kept the line moving with base hit to center and Bradshaw drove in Bruch and David to give Ponte Vedra a 7-0 lead.
Holder, David and Richmond each collected two hits for the Sharks. Holder struck out five and allowed one earned run to pick up her seventh win of the year against four losses.
