WINTER PARK, Fla.—The Barry University Buccaneers used an historic offensive display to record their first sweep of the Rollins College Tars 10-9 in 10 innings and 5-4 at Lake Island Park on Sunday in Sunshine State Conference softball action.
The Buccaneers (22-14, 14-7 SSC) rapped out 30 hits, including a school-record 21 in the first game, to take the pair from the Tars. Megan Copeland had six hits, Kayla Ogle five, while Sam Busekrus and Lynsey Duncan each had four. Busekrus had four RBI, while Copeland, Duncan and Kristina Pazienza each had two. Copeland and Gallagher each had three runs scored.
Anieliese Palmeiro earned the wins in all three games, tossing 21 innings and allowing six runs on 15 hits and nine walks, while striking out 10.
It was the first three-game sweep of the Tars since 2008 when the Bucs win 3-1, 4-2, 6-0 in Winter Park. The Tars have entered every series since 2008 ranked in the top-20, except 2014.
GAME ONE – Barry 10, Rollins 9 (10 innings)
The first game was as see-saw an affair as you could ever hope to see. The Bucs scored first, tallying a pair in the first inning on Sam Busekrus' two-run single.
After the Tars (33-12-1, 13-5 SSC) answered back with a pair of their own in the bottom of the first, Barry popped Rollins starter Nikki Fogle (21-9) for four runs in the second. Hunter Mars led off with a triple. After Gallagher and Ogle beat out infield hits to load the bases, Copeland singled to drive in Mars. Duncan hit a ground ball to Julie Kranz at short, but Kranz threw wild to home and Gallagher and Ogle both scored. Copeland came home on a sacrifice fly by Cheyanne Head.
The Tars answered back in the bottom of the frame with four runs of their own. Tiffany Osmanski had a two-run double.
The Bucs scored single unanswered runs in the third and fourth. Copeland drove in Gallagher in the third and Pazienza had an RBI double to score Head in the fourth to give Barry an 8-6 lead.
But in the bottom of the fourth, the Tars scored twice to knot the game back up. Brittany Johnson and Kranz had back-to-back doubles and Kranz scored when, after stealing third, the throw was wild.
The Bucs took a 9-8 lead in the seventh. Gallagher had a leadoff single and scored ahead of a double by Duncan.
Pinch hitter Brianne Lint cranked a two-out, solo homer off Palmeiro (10-3) in the bottom of the seventh to extend the game.
Finally in the 10th, Duncan had a leadoff single and Busekrus brought her home with base hit two outs later.
Palmiero piched seven innings in relief of Duncan to earn the win. She held the Tars to a single run on four hits and two walks, while striking out seven to tie her season high. Fogle took the loss for the second straight game in the series. She allowed 10 runs (seven earned) on 21 hits and three walks. The 21 hits ties a Barry single-game record set in a 6-5, nine-inning win over Lynn on Apr. 4, 2014.
GAME TWO – Barry 5, Rollins 4
In the second game, the Bucs rapped out nine hits to win 5-4. In the third inning, Ashley Fernandez led off with her first career triple and scored on an error by Claire Hamilton who dropped the throw at the plate.
In the fifth inning, the Tars busted out for four runs to take a 4-1 lead. Pitcher Grace Street ripped a three-run homer off Palmeiro.
But the Bucs finally got to Street (10-2) in the sixth inning. Copeland singled and stole second. Duncan followed with an RBI double. Dee Espinosa beat out an infield single to put runners at first and third. Head grounded out to move up Espinosa and Busekrus came through in the clutch with another RBI single to score Duncan. Espinosa scored on the play when Hamilton botched another throw. Pazienza plated Busekrus with a single up the middle.
Palmeiro made the one-run lead stand up over the last two innings, stranding three Tars, two in scoring position. In the complete-game effort, she allowed four runs on nine hits and four walks.
Street took the loss for just the second time this year. She allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits and struck out two.
The Bucs play their final non-conference games next weekend at Palm Beach Atlantic, who is coming off a three-game sweep of conference leader Saint Leo.
