BOCA RATON, Fla.—The 21st-ranked Barry Buccaneers split a Sunshine State Conference softball doubleheader with the Lynn Fighting Knights, taking game one 5-3, but dropping the nightcap 5-4 at Lynn Softball Field on Saturday.
Dee Espinosa homered twice and drove in three runs in the first game as Barry won 5-4. She got the Bucs (28-10, 12-5 SSC) on the board in the first inning with an RBI double to score Alyana Gallagher and later came around herself on a ground ball by Kelly Martinez. She hit solo home runs in the third and seventh innings.
Haley Wiseman (14-5) picked up the win for the Bucs. She allowed two runs on four hits and a walk and struck out five in 5.1 innings. Taylor Sabol pitched the final 1.2 innings to earn her first save of the season. Missy Montgomery (12-6), who allowed four runs on six hits in 3.0 innings, took the loss for Lynn.
In game two, the Bucs built a 3-2 lead after the first three innings. Julie Brito had a sacrifice fly in the first to score Megan Copeland. Ashley Fernandez hit a lead-off homer in the second and Brito and Martinez hit back-to-back doubles in the third.
But the Knights (20-18, 10-7 SSC) scored three runs in the fifth. Leanne Wright had an RBI double and Kaci Vassallo followed with a two-run homer, her first of the season.
The Bucs scratched a run back in the sixth when Cheyanne Head scored on an error by Lynn pitcher Francais Olexa, but could not get the equalizer.
Olexa (6-9) went the distance for the win. She allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits. She walked three and struck out two. Sabol took the loss for the Bucs, giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits and a walk. She struck out four.
The rubber game is on Sunday, Apr. 12 at noon.
