WILMINGTON, North Carolina – Junior outfielder
Taylor Matkins (D.H. Conley H.S./Greenville, N.C.) scored the game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the UNCW softball team to a 5-4 extra-inning victory over Georgetown (3-3) in the Seahawks' season opener at Boseman Field on Friday afternoon.
Matkins, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in the top of the ninth inning, was placed on second base via the international tie breaker rule to begin the bottom of the frame. With one out, she advanced to third base on a wild pitch.
After senior
Kristen Jernigan (South Johnston H.S./Benson, N.C.) recorded the second out of the inning with a swinging strikeout, senior
Casey Rowland (Colonie Central H.S./Albany, N.Y.) reached on a throwing error to allow Matkins to score from third base for the game-winning run.
The win allowed the Seahawks to celebrate their season opener in victorious fashion after the Hoyas rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game and force extra innings.
UNCW took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Jernigan scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.
After the Hoyas tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning when junior infielder
Samantha Giovanniello (Floral Park Memorial H.S./Floral Park, N.Y.) scored on a wild pitch, the Seahawks regained the advantage in the bottom of the frame when freshman
Kelsey Bryan (Garner Magnet H.S./Garner, N.Y.) drove in two runs with a single up the middle.
But, the Hoyas answered in the top of the seventh inning by scoring twice as sophomore infielder
Alessandra Gargicevich-Almeida (Martin Luther King H.S./Riverside, Calif.) hit a single down the left field line to drive in two runs.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Hoyas took their first lead of the game when sophomore catcher
Gabriela Elvina (Bishop George Ahr H.S./Edison, N.J.) hit an RBI double to left center field.
However, the Seahawks countered in the bottom of the eighth inning when freshman infielder
Monica Taylor (North Buncombe H.S./Weaverville, N.C.) hit a sacrifice fly to left field with one out, allowing senior infielder
Jessica Rappe (Butler H.S./Charlotte, N.C.) to score and extend the game to the ninth inning.
Making the first appearance of her college career, freshman pitcher
Sarah Davis (Walter Williams H.S./Burlington, N.C.) earned the win in relief after not allowing a hit in 1.2 innings. She struck out two Georgetown hitters and issued a pair of walks.
Jernigan recorded a pair of hits for the Seahawks while Rowland added a hit with a run scored. In addition, Rowland threw 6.2 innings and allowed just one earned run on six hits with nine strikeouts.
Gargicevich-Almeida led Georgetown with two hits and two runs batted in while Elvina went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Freshman
Avery Gheer (Ponte Vedra H.S./Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) suffered the loss for the Hoyas after allowing two unearned runs in 4.2 innings of relief.
In the first two games of the Landfall Park Hampton Inn & Suites Invitational, Georgetown defeated UMBC by a 3-0 margin before Saint Joseph's claimed a 13-2 victory over the Retrievers in six innings.
Due to the weather conditions, the Seahawks' game against Saint Joseph was canceled and will not be made up.
The second day of the tournament will take place on Saturday with four games beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Seahawks will play UMBC at 3:00 p.m. before a 5:30 p.m. contest against Georgetown.
