CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Young Harris College softball team split their two games on the first day of the Eckerd College Spring Invitational Friday (Feb. 6) at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
The Mountain Lions started the day picking up a 2-1 victory over tournament host Eckerd. In their final game, Young Harris rallied to tie the game, but Palm Beach Atlantic University scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to prevail 8-7.
Young Harris improved to 3-1. The Mountain Lions will play two more games at the tournament Saturday (Feb. 7) as they face Nova Southeastern University at 11 a.m. and Florida Southern College at 1:30 p.m.
Young Harris took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning against Eckerd. Chandler Stooksbury started the rally by reaching on an error and Lindsay Tudor doubled down the right field line. Lyndsey York knocked in the first run on a ground out and the Mountain Lions added another run on a Triton error.
Darby Stanford (2-0) held Eckerd at bay until the sixth with a RBI single by Brittany Mitchell. Stanford, who surrender five hits and struck out six in the complete-game effort, left the potential-tying run at second as she got the final two batters to pop out and ground out.
Sydnee Weaver and Stacia Williams each collected two hits for Young Harris. Weaver and Williams each had a double.
In the final game of the day, the Mountain Lions rallied with four runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 7. Murphy Davis had a RBI single and Weaver pulled YHC within a run with a two-out, two-run single up the middle. The Mountain Lions knotted the game at 7 after Weaver stole second and third base before scoring on Sarah Magill's single through the left side.
The Sailfish pushed across the winning run in the bottom half of the inning as Lindsey Johnson, who hit a three-run homer in the third inning, singled to right off reliever Hannah Harrison (0-1).
Young Harris collected 11 hits with Weaver, Magill, who drove in two runs, and Harrison each accounting for two hits apiece. Harrison had a triple while Weaver added a double.
