Softball participated in the Division III Lead Off Classic in Columbus, Georgia, splitting the six games with three wins and three loses. The tournament started on March 11 and wrapped up March 13.
The Bombers lost their first game 1–6 against East Texas Baptist University March 11. The Tigers got things going early and took a 5–0 lead after the first inning. Senior catcher Kelly Robichaud would get the lone hit and homerun for the Bombers in the top of the fourth. East Texas Baptist put the nail in the coffin in the sixth inning after a runner came home and scored.
In the same day, the second game would be more fortunate for the Bombers as they would shut-out Eastern Connecticut State University 3–0. Sophomore outfielder Emily Bloom smacked a double into right field, bringing home freshman infielder Hannah Anderson to get things started in the second inning. The other two scores came from senior infielder Casey Gavin and freshman infielder Vanessa Brown in the third inning. Senior pitcher Allison Macari tossed the shut-out, striking out eight players over the course of the seven innings.
The next day would produce almost identical results for the Blue and Gold. In the first game, they would loose 1–10 in a five-inning game against Trine University. Trine scored four times in the first inning and then six more times in the fourth. The Bombers’ lone score of the game would come off a single to left field by sophomore infielder Allie Colleran that brought home freshman outfielder Annie Cooney in the fifth inning.
In the second game, the roles were reversed as the Bombers would again shut-out another opponent, this time Fontbonne University 10–0 in another five-inning game. The Blue and Gold would score five runs in the first and then five runs in the second to get an early lead that they never let up on. Senior pitcher Laura Quicker was responsible for the five-inning shut-out, allowing only four hits the entire game.
In the first game on March 13, Piedmont College would score first after an infield error in the fifth. However, from there the Bombers took control of the game, as Anderson hit a solo home run in the fifth. Then in the sixth, Robichaud would hit a double putting her at second and then shortly after sophomore infielders Hannah Peters would send a dinger to left center bring both teammates home.
Quicker took the mound for four innings and played well, having only three hits and one run under her watch. Freshman pitcher Haley Congdon would finish out the seven-inning game having only one hit come off of her pitching.
In the second game against Illinois Wesleyan University, the Titans racked up three runs in the top of the third inning. The South Hill squad would try to answer by driving in one run in the bottom of the third. However, the Titans would have another hit in the fourth. The Bombers would answer by trying to rally, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but the Titans put the Blue and Gold away permanently with two runs in the sixth.
Macari pitched six innings, allowing nine hits and six runs. Quicker would again take the mound but only just for one inning of relief pitching, where she tallied one strike out.
The South Hill squad has a 3–3 neutral record to start the season. The team travels to Clermont, Florida to play at 1 p.m. March 16 against Wheaton College and then again at 3 p.m. against the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Those games start off a six-game stretch for the Bombers as they start spring training in Florida.
