COLUMBUS, Ga. – The No. 6 ranked Parkland College Softball team struggled to score on day two of the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday, March 4th, and the Cobras (11-6) lost three games by a combined five runs. Parkland was shutout in both its 1-0 loss to No. 15 Pearl River Community College and a 2-0 loss to No. 12 San Jacinto College South before losing 4-2 on a late rally from Indian River State College. Freshmen infielder Grace Bushur totaled five hits on Saturday to lead the team.
Up next, the Cobras will travel to Barnesville, Georgia, for a doubleheader at Gordon State College on Saturday, March 11th. First pitch against the Highlanders (7-6) is scheduled for 1:00 PM.
Game 1: No. 15 Pearl River Community College 1, No. 6 Parkland College 0
The Cobras looked vulnerable in the 2nd inning, facing runners on second and third with only one out, but starting pitcher Karley Yergler (7.0 IP, 3 H, R, 9 K) got the Cobras out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts to keep it scoreless. The Parkland offense just couldn’t get it going against Pearl River, as freshman Lizzie Stiverson’s one-out single in the bottom of the 4th was the team’s only hit. The Wildcat offense produced just three hits, but a costly Cobra error in the top of the 6th inning resulted in the game’s only run, and Parkland lost 1-0.
Game 2: No. 12 (DI) San Jacinto College South 2, No. 6 Parkland College 0
Parkland outhit San Jacinto 7-5 in game two, but the Cobras fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the second and couldn’t drive in a run in the 2-0 loss to the Coyotes. Freshmen Grace Bushur (2-4, 2B) and Ellie Vetter (2-3, 2B, SB) both recorded multiple hits in the loss.
Vetter (3-1) got the start against San Jacinto, allowing one earned run on three hits over five innings, striking out four. Karley Yergler (1.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 K) relieved Vetter in the 6th, striking out two of the five batters she faced.
Game 3: Indian River State College 4, No. 6 Parkland College 2
The Cobras struck first against the Pioneers, scoring on an RBI single from Ellie Vetter (1-4, RBI) in the bottom of the 1st, and Parkland led 1-0 early. Indian River tied the game in the top of the 4th, but Parkland regained the lead in the bottom of the 6th when Jaidi Davis (2-3, RBI, 2B, BB) lined an RBI single into left field to make the score 2-1. The Pioneers responded in the top of the 7th, driving in three runs to take their first lead of the game, and the Cobras couldn’t get on base in the bottom half of the inning as Parkland lost 4-2.
Karley Yergler (6-5) was credited with the loss on Saturday night after allowing two earned runs on five hits and striking out eight. Third baseman Grace Bushur (3-3, R, BB) gave opposing pitchers fits, getting on base four times in the loss.
