Box Score
Despite another solid offensive effort at the plate, the Detroit Titans softball team had its opportunities but could not get over the hump against St. Francis (Pa.) falling 14-6 Friday morning at the Rebel Games in Kissimmee, FL.
Detroit (3-11) tallied six runs off 11 hits while St. Francis (Pa.) garnered 14 runs on 15 hits. The Titans had their chances but could not make the most two bases loaded situations in the third and fifth inning.
Down 1-0 in the third, freshman Rachel Copple (Dearborn Heights, MI / Allen Park Cabrini) and senior Jacqueline Nortman (Groves, TX/Msgr. Kelly Catholic) hit back-to-back singles followed by a RBI single by junior Erica Houthoofd (Unionville, MI/Sebewaing Area) to put UDM on the board. After a single from sophomore Ellen Sinclair (Chatham, ON/Chatham-Kent), junior Courtney Gill (Surrey, B.C./Earl Marriott) hit a fly ball which was dropped by the right fielder which allowed another run to score. An infield fly rule pop-up by junior Kristin Sclater (Taylor, MI/Kennedy) allowed Houthoofd to score putting the Titans up 3-1 with the bases loaded and two outs. However, the next two batters struck out ending the Titans threat.
The Titans then found themselves down 7-3 entering the fifth inning before Gill connected on a two-run home run to cut the lead to 7-5. Sclater, junior Jessica Liebner (Ortonville, MI/Brandon) and sophomore Breana Sesoko (Anaheim Hills, CA/Canyon) each followed with singles to load the bases with no outs. After a pop-out, Copple was then hit by a pitch to plate a run pulling UDM within one, 7-6. Déjà vu struck again as Detroit could not plate any additional runs making back-to-back outs to end the inning.
St. Francis then added five runs in the bottom half of the fifth and two more in the sixth to end the game.
Nortman, Sinclair and Slater each led the Titans going 2-for-4 at the plate while Gill went 1-for-4 with two RBI.
The Titans play their final contest of Rebel Games later today against Maine at 1 p.m.
