CF softball splits series with Daytona State

The College of Central Florida’s Emily Dixon (6) slides safely back to second base as Daytona State’s Asia Thomas (5) can’t handle the errant throw during a softball game at the College of Central Florida in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

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Posted March 17, 2021 | By Ainslie Lee, Ocala Gazette

Freshman third baseman Kamaya Cohen had a fan club waiting beyond the left-center field wall.

The College of Central Florida’s baseball team hurried over after its practice to watch the Lady Patriots take on the Daytona State Falcons in doubleheader action on Tuesday afternoon. And all they wanted was a home run to come their way.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, while holding a two-run lead, Cohen would give the baseball team what it was looking for. But more importantly, she would give her team an advantage on the scoreboard that proved too much for Daytona State to overcome.

With two outs and two runners in play, Cohen launched a pitch over the heads of the rowdy baseball players, increasing the Lady Patriots’ advantage to five runs.

Later in the inning, CF freshman and Forest High School alum Hannah Meyer doubled to center field to score Isabella Pinto from second base and give the Lady Patriots a lasting, six-run advantage en route to a 10-4 victory over the Falcons in the opening game of the afternoon.

CF’s offensive effort kicked off in the bottom of the first inning after redshirt sophomore Odalys Cordova knocked a 3-0 pitch for a two-run home run. Additional hits from Meyer and sophomore Chloe Nadler helped the Lady Patriots string together a five-run opening inning.

However, Daytona State came threatening back in the top of the third when Daytona State freshman Daisy McQuain notched a three-run home run to bring the Falcons back within one run.

But CF redshirt freshman pitcher Madison Edwards, with the help of strong fielding efforts from the Lady Patriots’ defense, kept the Falcons off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. Edwards issued three strikeouts in seven innings of action.

After a brief intermission, the scoreboard was cleared as the Lady Patriots and the Falcons returned to the dirt for the second game of the slate.

CF would continue to find success on offense in the second game of the afternoon and would enter the seventh inning with a 6-4 lead over Daytona State.

However, back-to-back solo home runs hit off the bats of Daytona State freshmen Destiny Colgate and Kansas Crean, followed by a two-run home run from freshman Asia Thomas would put the Falcons on top 8-6.

CF would answer the call in its turn at bat with the help of Cordova, who lifted her second home run of the day out of the park to score the tying runs and force the game into extra innings.

But that’s where the Lady Patriots’ luck ran out.

Colgate would crush her second home run of the game out of the park to give the Falcons a two-run advantage heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.

But CF couldn’t answer the call, leading to a 10-8 loss to Daytona State and splitting Tuesday afternoon’s slate.