NCF Softball went 2-2 at the Space Coast Tournament at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Melbourne, Wednesday and Thursday, as it picked up two wins over Indiana South Bend, winning 5-2 and 8-0 and lost Thursday 8-7 to Cottey and 9-7 to Dallas Christian.
The Mighty Banyans are now 18-8 overall on the season.
Game 1
New College rallied after an early deficit and used timely hitting and dominant relief pitching to defeat Indiana South Bend 5-2 in its tournament opener.
Indiana South Bend struck first in the top of the first, using back-to-back RBI triples to go up 2-0.
The Banyans answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. RBI doubles from
Sydney Rich and Â
Rylie Harwood quickly tied the game at 2-2.
After a scoreless stretch through the middle innings, New College took the lead in the fourth as
Kelsey Harper ripped an RBI single to put the Mighty Banyans in front.
New College added insurance in the sixth inning.
Maya Moro led off with a double and later scored on an RBI double from
Mackenzie Mathers to extend the lead to 4-2. Later in the inning, Harper delivered again with an RBI single to score
Jamie Reinhardt and push the lead to 5-2.
In the circle,
Dani Ebert was dominant in relief, tossing six shutout innings while allowing just four hits and striking out four to earn the win.
Game 2
New College erupted for six runs in the second inning and backed it with a dominant pitching performance from Ebert to secure an 8-0 run-rule victory over Indiana University South Bend.
The Banyans struck first in the top of the first inning as
Samantha Suarez reached and came around to score on an RBI single from
Karyna Lewis to give New College a 1-0 lead.
New College broke the game open in the second inning, sending nine hitters to the plate. Suarez delivered a two-run single, Harwood followed with a two-run single of her own and Lewis added another RBI single later in the inning to score to extend the lead to 6-0.
The Mighty Banyans added two more runs in the fourth inning to cap the scoring as Moro delivered a two-run single, pushing the advantage to 8-0.
In the circle, Ebert was dominant, tossing a complete-game one-hit shutout while striking out four and walking one to earn the win.
Game 3
New College built an early lead and carried it into the late innings, but Cottey rallied in the bottom seventh to hand the Mighty Banyans an 8-7 loss in walk-off fashion in its Saturday opener.
New College came out swinging in the opening inning.
Harwood delivered a two-run double and Lewis followed with an RBI double to give the Banyans a 3-0 lead.
The Banyans added another run in the second inning when Suarez doubled to score Thomason, extending the advantage to 4-0.
Cottey answered in the bottom half of the inning with two runs, highlighted by a solo home run from Alma Garcia and an RBI double from Halen Hoelzeman to cut the lead to 4-2.
The Comets tied the game in the fourth inning on a two-run home run from Makayla Snyder and took the lead later in the frame on an RBI fielder's choice to go in front 5-4.
New College responded in the fifth inning as Rich delivered an RBI double to score Harwood and even the game at 5-5 and then the Banyans regained the lead in the sixth when Harper singled to bring home Ashlyn Sentner, making it 6-5.
NCF added an insurance run in the seventh as
Kira McDonough doubled to score Lewis and extend the lead to 7-5.
Cottey answered in the bottom of the seventh. A run scored on a passed ball before the Comets loaded the bases and drew back-to-back walks from Rich, who entered in a save situation, to force in the tying and winning runs, completing the comeback.
Game 4
New College mounted a late rally but could not overcome an early deficit in a 9-7 loss to Dallas Christian in its tournament finale.
The score was 6-0 in favor of Dallas Christian entering the top of the sixth when the Mighty Banyans finally broke through as
Cheyenne Waddell delivered a two-run double,
Avery Arrington followed with an RBI single, cutting the deficit to 6-3.
Dallas Christian answered in the seventh with three runs to extend the lead to 9-3 but the Mighty Banyans continued to punch back until the final out was recorded.
Waddell singled to drive in two, and Rich followed with a two-run triple to score  New College within two at 9-7 with just one out, the comeback proved too little however, as Dallas Christian reliever Mattie Parham was able to pick up a save by getting
Madison Garcia to fly out and Arrington to strike out.
Up Next: New College will travel to Brunswick, Georgia, next Tuesday to open a three-game series at Sun Conference foe RV Coastal Georgia.
