Rain doesn’t spoil Sophomore Day for Triceratops

PARMA, Ohio (athletics.tri-c.edu) – The sun shined on a 9-0 game one Sophomore Day win for the Cuyahoga Community College Triceratops (23-5, 16-1 OCCAC) over Hocking College (11-17, 6-8 OCCAC), April 24.

Eight sophomores were celebrated by the Triceratops today - Katelyn Smith (So./Columbus, Ohio), Sophie Durbin (So./Mansfield, Ohio/Mount Vernon Nazarene), Lexi Gray (So./Tallmadge, Ohio/Baldwin-Wallace), Reese Adkins (So./Oak Harbor, Ohio), Sammi Zabak (So./Broadview Heights, Ohio), Julee Phillips (So./Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), Katelin Emery (So./Akron, Ohio), and Isabelle Kepple (So./Miamisburg, Ohio). All eight were major parts of the Triceratops' success. Phillips blanked the visiting Hawks in her first game, allowing four hits and striking out 10 batters. Durbin picked up another RBI, extending her streak to five consecutive games with a run batted in. Gray extended her hitting streak to six games with a first inning triple. Zabak pushed her own streak for scoring at least one run in a contest to five consecutive games.

The weather turned for the worse early in the second game after Tri-C opened up a 4-0 lead in the top of the second. Then, the skies opened up and lightning forced the game to be suspended. Game two will be resumed at a later date from the paused point in the top of the second inning.

As a team, the Triceratops have won six consecutive games and 17 of their last 18.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Game One

• Phillips started the game with a bang, striking out the side in the top of the first and second.
• The Triceratops scored their first runs in the bottom of the second, when Josi Miliken (Fr./Beloit, Ohio) scored on a throwing error. Adriana Guarnieri (Fr./Chillicothe, Ohio) made it 2-0 with a thrilling steal of home. A single by Durbin and a sacrifice fly by Adkins put Tri-C on top, 4-0 to close the second frame.
• Another error and an RBI single by Emery pushed the Tri-C lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the third.
• Phillips struck out the side again in the top of the fourth, setting the Triceratops up for a big inning.
• Tri-C would add three to their total in the bottom of the fourth, courtesy of a Guarnieri single that drove in two runs and another Hocking error.
• Two more strikeouts from Phillips, pushing her total in the game to 10 in just five innings of work, locked in the run-rule victory.

Game Two

• The Triceratops turned to Brooke Brubaker (Fr./Columbiana, Ohio) on the mound for game two and she delivered, sitting the Hawks down 1-2-3 on three consecutive groundouts.
• A hit parade kicked off the top of the first, with Tri-C slapping five consecutive singles to start the frame. Eventually, a single by Gray knocked in the game's first run. Following singles by Miliken and Zabak ran the score up to 4-0 Triceratops in a hurry.
• The rain came heavily during the top of the second and Brubaker struggled with a wet softball, issuing a walk to the first batter. The second at-bat was left unfinished as the game was suspended due to lightning.
• Game two is currently planned to be resumed at a later date.

UP NEXT

The Triceratops will finish the season on the road, heading east to Frederick, Maryland to for a doubleheader against Frederick Community College. First pitch against the Cougars is scheduled for 2 p.m., April 26.

FOLLOW THE TRICERATOPS

Keep up with all things Tri-C Athletics by following the Triceratops on Instagram @tri_c_athletics, Facebook @Tri-C Athletics and X @TriCAthletics.

You can follow the softball team on Instagram @tri.c_softball.