Lakeland, Fla. - In their first set of games in the 2025 season, the Adelphi University softball team split its doubleheader against Florida Southern College on Tuesday evening, by the final scores of 2-3 and 12-2.
Game 1: Adelphi 2, Florida Southern 3
The season sprung on with a nail-biter, as the Panthers got out to an early lead but were outlasted by the Mocs.
After stranding two in the opening inning, the Brown and Gold struck for their first runs of the year in the second, off of
Courtney Murphy and
Jordyn Pasqueralli singles in consecutive order.
Starting pitcher and transfer
Jenna Plue retired Florida Southern 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the first, but the hosts cut the opening two-run lead in half by the end of the second frame. Continuing to claw back in the contest, a triple down the left field line knotted the score at two by the end of three.
Plue got herself out of some trouble in the fourth, but the Scarlet and White scored for the third time in four innings after Shelby Valencia brought home her second RBI of the day.
Adelphi went hitless across the final two, with Murphy managing to bring the winning run to the plate in the seventh after reaching on an error.
Ellen Tarjan came up with one out, and grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to put an end to the matinee.
Game 2: Adelphi 12, Florida Southern 2
The nightcap brought a faster start, with the 'Cats putting three runs on the board before the hosts got a chance to bat.
Graduate transfer
Julianna Sanzone broke the game open with a two RBI single up the middle to bring home Tarjan and
Angelina Kellogg. Murphy continued her stellar day of work by bringing Sanzone home from third to give Adelphi their hot start.
Lily Kenney found herself inside the circle for Game 2, and showed her dominance early. Only allowing one baserunner off a walk through three frames, the Panthers were able to set in with their advantage. A bunt put the first hit of the day on the scoreboard for the Mocs, but Kenney's swift takedown of the next three batters squashed any potential momentum.
The Brown and Gold put away any doubt in the fifth inning with their offensive output. Sanzone scored Kellogg once again after reaching on an error, but freshman
Reeghan McCarthy's double brought home an extra two in
Makayla Comer and
Emily Wolfe. Murphy tallied her third RBI of the day as the next batter, as the 'Cats had now accumulated seven runs.
Kenney's shutout ended in the sixth following another Valencia RBI. While another run would come across the plate later, the bottom of the sixth was highlighted by Tarjan gunning down a runner at home for freshman catcher
Meghan Fisher to tag out.
Putting the game further out of reach, Adelphi put up their highest scoring inning of the evening in their last one with five in the seventh. Pasqueralli's double stood out the most, clearing the loaded bases for the team to get up to double digits.
Head Coach Katie Apostolopoulos and the Panthers will continue their Florida road trip tomorrow when they take on Saint Leo University. First pitch from Saint Leo, Fla. is scheduled for 5 p.m.
