Velazquez has big day in sweep over St. Johns River

The Eastern Florida State College softball team won a couple of close games Tuesday afternoon at Titan Softball Complex.

The Titans defeated St. Johns River State College 2-1 in Game 1 and then 7-6 in Game 2 to avenge their only loss of the season.

Freshman Avery Velazquez tossed her fourth complete game of the season in the first game as the pitcher got out of a jam in the first inning and then retired 15 in a row before Princess Arrodondo hit a line drive that cleared the left field wall for the lone Vikings run in the sixth.

Velazquez gave the Titans a 1-0 lead in the second inning, hitting a towering home run to give Eastern Florida State College a 1-0 lead.

The Titans would add the winning run in the fifth inning as Kayla Fanning walked, advanced to second on a Jessica Camacho sacrifice bunt and would eventually score on an RBI single by Aracelis Jimenez.

Jimenez had two hits and Velazquez walked twice to go with her first home run.

In Game 2, St. Johns River would score twice in the top of the first inning as starter Luci Walters got a big strikeout with two on to end the inning.

The Titans would strike back in the bottom of the first with a big two-out rally as Ashley Corazzini walked and scored on Velazquez double. The game would be tied as Emma George drove in Velazquez with a single and then George would score Ashley Grieser's single.

Walters would pitch three scoreless innings before a walk and single brought up Bailey LeGere in the fifth inning. LeGere hit a ball down the right field line that was called a home run to give the Vikings a 5-4 lead.

Eastern Florida State College would tie the game 5-5 as Velazquez once again doubled and scored on Emma George's sacrifice fly. St. Johns River would take the lead once again in the sixth inning as Aradondo singled and came around to score.

Down 6-5, once again the Titans fought back as Fanning singled, stole second and scored the tying run on Jessica Camacho's RBI single.

St. Johns River would come up big on defense to keep the game tied but Jimenez singled and would score on Velazquez single.

Up 7-6, Velazquez struck out two of the three hitters she faced in the seventh inning for the win.

Velazquez went 4-for-4 with three doubles in Game 2 while Jimenez and Grieser each had two hits.

The Titans will travel to Florida Gateway College on Thursday for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. before hosting South Florida State College on Saturday in a doubleheader at Titan Softball Complex beginning at 1 p.m.