Softball team falls short in slugfest

The Eastern Florida State College softball team lost a high-scoring, back and forth affair with St. Johns River State College on Friday evening at the JUCO Kickoff in Madeira Beach.

The Titans, who are 1-1 on the season, lost 12-8 in the second game of Day 1. Eastern Florida State College opened the season with an 8-0 victory in five innings.

Eastern Florida State College started things off with a bang as Ashley Corazzini hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Titans a 2-0 lead. Ashley Grieser led off the second inning with a double and scored on Jessica Camacho's single to make it 3-0.

But St. Johns River hit the first of five home runs on the evening to tie the game 3-3 in the third inning. The Titans took the lead back 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth as Jessica Merk was hit by a pitch and scored on Aracelis Jimenez walk with the bases loaded.

After the Vikings took the lead with a 2-run home run in the fifth inning, the Titans would open the game up with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Emma George hit a double and scored the first run along with Grieser on a two-run double by Martha Jones. Jimenez hit an RBI double as the Titans walked five times in the inning.

But St. Johns River hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh to pick up the win.

Grieser and Jones each had two hits in the game.

Eastern Florida State College will be back in action on Saturday with two more games. The Titans will play Tallahassee State College at 4:30 p.m. The Eagles will open the season on Saturday.

The Titans will wrap up the weekend against Rend Lake College who will also open the season Saturday.