GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Lee softball started off the 2022 season with a doubleheader split at the Gulf Shores Invitational on Saturday. The Lady Flames took down Columbus State in the opener, 5-1 before falling in a back-and-forth nightcap, 6-5 to Palm Beach Atlantic.
The Lady Flames will wrap of the weekend on Sunday against West Alabama at 12:15 p.m. The game will not count towards the GSC Standings.
"That was a challenging first day for the team. We played two tough opponents and got a good win," said Lee head coach Emily Russell. "We came up short at the end of the PBA game but fought back in the bottom of the seventh to get within one. This was a good chance to face some adversity. We are excited to get another chance tomorrow."
GAME 1
Nyah Vogel (1-0) made the most of her Lady Flame debut in the circle as she tossed a complete game, allowing just one run on three hits. She struck out five and walked just one batter to earn the 5-1 victory over Columbus State.
Junior transfer Breanna Patton got the Lady Flames on the board in the top of the second as she delivered a bases loaded three-run double. Annalyn Ormsby made it 4-1 with a run-scoring triple in the third frame, and Kylie Bohl singled her home to complete the scoring.
Lopez (0-1) started for the Cougars and gave up five runs over 2.1 innings of work. She walked three and struck out three. Folds settled in from there and was effective over the final 4.2 frames. She fanned six and allowed just a pair of hits. Columbus State falls to 0-2 on the young season.
GAME 2
Palm Beach Atlantic used a three-run seventh and held on in the bottom of the inning to take down the Lady Flames, 6-5 in the nightcap on Saturday.
Freshman Rylie Goodridge put the Lady Flames up 4-3 with her first career home run, a two-run shot, in the fourth inning.
The Sailfish would rally in the seventh however to retake the lead. Milam delivered a two-run double and scored on a Rodriquez single to left field.
Ormsby capped off a three-hit day with a solo home run to right field, but Vazquez shut the door in the circle for PBA. Vazquez (1-0) earned the win in relief as she went three innings and gave up just the one run on two hits.
Madison Barnett (0-1) yielded six runs on six hits over 6.2 innings. Alaina Watson came on in relief to get the final out in the top of the seventh.
After falling behind 2-0, the Sailfish battled back and took the lead thanks to a three-run homer courtesy of McCloskey in the fourth.
