Pirate Softball Secures Panhandle Championship

The Pensacola State softball team secured the Panhandle Conference Championship by taking four games from Gulf Coast State (GC) in back-to-back days. They traveled to Panama City on Thursday and swept the Commodores in two 1-run ball games. Gulf Coast came to Pensacola on Friday and by beating them twice the Pirates clinched the Panhandle Championship.

Pensacola did have to play at Chipola on Sunday to complete a postponed game from earlier in the season. The Pirates dropped that game 5-4, but they will be the number one seed from the Panhandle at the State Championship and Chipola will be the number two seed because the PSC held the tiebreaker by having a 3-2 record against Chipola. Continue reading below for individual game recaps.

PSC 6 GC 5

The Pirates got on the board first in the second inning when Maddy Childs and Monique Poitevin singled to set the table for Jessica Ford drive in a run with a single to left. Shaylan Whatman drew a walk to load the bases and Mya Geros stroked a line drive to left that allowed two runs to score and make it 3-0 Pensacola. 

Gulf Coast used two doubles to plate their first run of the game in the bottom of the second. The score remained 3-1 until the fourth when Gulf Coast used a solo homerun and sacrifice fly to to tie the game at three.

Pensacola immediately responded in the top of the fifth with Susanna Soldi and Ellie Hansen reaching with singles to setup Maddy Childs for a 3-run homerun to left field.

In the bottom of the sixth Gulf Coast had two runners on and drove a flyball to left that was caught for the second out of the inning. On the play the runner from third tagged and knocked the ball loose at home with her slide and two runs scored to pull them within one run.

The Pirate pitching and defense held the rest of the way and PSC secured the win.

Heleena Reinhardt went the distance in the circle and picked up her third win of the season.

Maddy Childs was 2-for-4 with a homerun, three RBI's and two runs scored while Mya Geros was 2-for-3 with two RBI's.

PSC 5 GC 4

In the second game of the day the Pirates put two runs on the board in the first inning when Maddy Childs hit a 2-run homerun over the left field fence.

With two outs in the fourth Mya Geros walked and Sajarie Jones singled before Susanna Soldi drove both runners in with a single to right field to make the score 4-0.

After GC plated one run in the bottom of the third, the Pirates answered with their fifth run of the game when Soldi struck again driving in a run with a double to left field.

Gulf Coast added one run in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 5-2. 

Things got a little hairy in the bottom of the sixth when a walk and hit by pitch set the table for an RBI double. On the next play the Pirates turned a double play, but one run did score to pull GC within one run. Starting pitcher Avery Beauchaine collected a three pitch strikeout to end the threat.

No more runs were scored and the Pirates held on for the victory. Avery Beauchaine threw a complete game for her 9th win of the season. She scattered seven hits and struck out four.

Susanna Soldi helped pace the offense going 2-for-3 with three RBI's a double and a walk. Sajarie Jones and Maddy Childs were both 2-for-4 game with Childs chipping in two RBI's on her 10th homerun of the season.

GC 2 PSC 4

Pensacola stole the lead late in the first game on Friday and defeated GC 4-2. 

The Pirates scored first in the bottom of the third when Susanna Soldi was hit by a pitch and Ellie Hansen singled before Maddy Childs walked to load the bases with one out. Monique Poitevin singled to left to drive in the first run. Jessica Ford followed with a hard ground ball to shortstop to give PSC a 2-0 lead.

Gulf Coast used a 2-RBI double in the top of the fourth to pull even at 2-2.

The scored remained tied until the bottom of the sixth when after a fielder's choice Mya Geros drove a double to left that put runners on 2nd and 3rd base with one out. Sajarie Jones hit a ground ball to the pitcher that allowed Kelsi Bargman to score and give the Pirates a 3-2 lead. Susanna Soldi then stepped to the plate and drove in another insurance run for PSC.

The defense held in the top of the seventh and PSC secured the first win of the day. 

Heleena Rhinehardt collected her fourth win of the season as she threw a complete game with zero earned runs and zero walks.

Susanna Soldi, Ellie Hansen and Monique Poitevin each had two hits in the game.

GC 3 PSC 4

The final game of the series saw Gulf Coast get on the board in the first inning when an error and four singles allowed them to score two runs. A double play turned by second baseman Sajarie Jones ended the threat and inning.

Pensacola wasted no time in responding when Susanna Soldi reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a double to right center from Ellie Hansen. Hansen was promptly driven in on a single up the middle off the bat of Maddy Childs to tie the game. 

Gulf Coast retook the lead in the top of the third with an RBI single to make 3-2.

Jessica Ford led things off in the bottom of the fourth by launching a homerun to dead centerfield and knotting the score at 3-3. 

The bottom of the fifth saw Susanna Soldi reach on an error and advance to second on a sacrifice bunt. Maddy Childs then scorched a ground ball to left that plated Soldi giving the Pirates a 4-3 advantage. 

The Commodores threatend in the top of the sixth when they used two singles to put a runner in scoring position but first baseman Monique Poitevin saved the day by scooping a ball at first to end the inning.

In the top of the seventh third baseman Shaylan Whatman snagged a hard hit ball with her backhand to set the tone for the inning and two subsequent pop ups ended the game to secure the Panhandle Championship. 

Avery Beauchaine recorded her 10th win of the season throwing a complete game and only allowing two earned runs.

Maddy Childs was 2-for-3 with two RBI's while Jessica Ford had a homerun and RBI. Ellie Hansen was 1-for-2 with a double, RBI and run scored.

PSC 4 Chipola 5

Pensacola's late rally fell just short as they dropped a 5-4 game at Chipola on Sunday.

The Pirates fell behind 3-0 early before they got on the board in the top of the fifth thanks to a solo homerun off the bat of Shaylan Whatman. 

After a 2-run homerun in the bottom of the fifth, Heleena Reinhardt entered the circle in relief and picked up three quick outs but the score was 5-1 in favor of the Indians.

Pensacola put their rally caps on in the top of the sixth when Ellie Hansen led off with a double. With two outs Jessica Ford and Shaylan Whatman drew walks to load the bases. In her first at bat of the season Heleena Reinhardt worked the count full and drew an RBI walk to make it 5-2. Mya Geros followed with a 2-RBI double to the left field fence and the Pirates were within one run. 

Unfortunately they could not push across any more runs and dropped the game. With the victory Chipola secured the number two Panhandle seed for the State Tournament.

Shaylan Whatman was 1-for-2 with a homerun, RBI, two runs scored and walk in the game. Ellie Hansen and Mya Geros (2 RBI) both recorded hits. 

Avery Beauchaine got the start and Heleena Reinhardt closed out the game strong by only allowing one hit and zero runs in two innings of work.