Skipjacks work all day to stay undefeated

COCOA BEACH, Fla. – The Skipjacks proved Wednesday they will do just about anything to stay undefeated.

Such as wait out a 5½-hour rain delay.

And a lightning delay.

Oh, and score three times in the bottom of the ninth to erase a two-run deficit.

Chesapeake College swept Ecclesia College, 5-4 and 7-0, using the ninth-inning comeback to win the women's softball opener and pave the way for a much easier, five-inning rout in the nightcap.  The sweep gave Chesapeake (12-0) a perfect 8-0 slate during this year's spring break trip.

"It was a long day, but the girls did a really nice job of keeping their focus," said Chesapeake head coach Durrie Hayes.  "We had breakfast at 7 a.m., played the first game at 10 a.m., and didn't finally get off the field until after 8 p.m."

Stephanie Weyermiller pitched the first 8 1/3 innings in the opener, allowing just one run through the regulation seven innings.  Both teams scored a run in the eighth under international rules, which start extra innings with a runner on second base, before Ecclesia hit a pair of ninth-inning doubles off Weyermiller to build a 4-2 lead.

Kellieann Tyner then relieved Weyermiller and retired both hitters she faced to end the inning, but that still left the Skipjacks' winning streak in need of a big rally.

Hannah Stringer (3-for-5) started the home ninth on second base and Kaley Schreiber (2-for-3) walked.  Both moved up on a passed ball before Samantha Greenwell walked with one out to load the bases.

Taryn Zietlow (2-for-4, three RBI) then roped a two-run double to left that scored Stringer and Schreiber to tie the game.  After Tyner walked to reload the bases, Greenwell beat the throw home to score the winning run on a Sarah Straub grounder to second.

"We sure did it the hard way," said Hayes.  "Between Stephanie pitching a great game, and Kellieann coming in to shut the door, and the big ninth inning, it says a lot about our girls."

Weyermiller allowed six hits and four walks with two of the four runs charged to her unearned while Tyner got the win in relief.

Chesapeake 7, Ecclesia 0

COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Kellieann Tyner (6-0) pitched a tidy, two-hit shutout with two strikeouts and a walk as the Skipjacks completed Wednesday's doubleheader sweep.

Taryn Zietlow (3-for-4) and Cheyenne Riley (2-for-3) each drove in two runs for the Skipjacks.  Stephanie Weyermiller added two hits.

The Skipjacks return home to face Monroe College, a four-year institution, in a doubleheader next Tuesday before hosting Frederick Community College in a Wednesday doubleheader.  Both doubleheaders begin at 3 p.m.