Indian Rivers Collects 2 Conference Wins at St. Petersburg  

ST. PETERSBURG, FL-  In an impressive offensive display, The River cruised to a commanding 14-3 victory against St. Petersburg in their away doubleheader on Saturday, March 1. The team wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Presley Smith led off the game with a home run. Sarah Phipps followed with a single, and Sophia Loreto added a sacrifice fly, setting the tone for an explosive first inning. Jordyn Lillis and J'dah Girigorie rounded out the inning with key hits that brought in additional runs, quickly establishing a 5-0 lead.

The scoring continued in the third inning when Phipps launched a solo home run to left field on a full count, extending the lead to 6-0. The fourth inning was particularly productive for The River, as they erupted for six runs on five hits. Kassidy Pontbriant and Braylee Shields both delivered doubles, each driving in two runs. Phipps added another run with a lineout, and Loreto capped off the inning with a double that scored the final run of the frame.

On the mound, J'dah Girigorie secured the win for Indian River, allowing just four hits and two runs over three innings while striking out three. Alexa Bethel came in for relief, throwing a perfect inning without allowing any runs or hits. Offensively, the team was relentless, racking up a total of 15 hits. Smith led with three RBIs, while Shields stood out with three hits in four at-bats and two stolen bases. The team totaled five stolen bases in the first game.

Game two was a tighter contest, but Indian River showcased their pitching prowess and strategic play to secure a 3-1 victory over St. Petersburg. Strong performances in the circle from both teams marked the game, but Hanna Deschambault shined for The River, recording an impressive 21 outs while allowing only four hits over seven innings. Her performance included four strikeouts and just one walk.

The River struck first in the top of the second inning when Sophia Loreto lined out, allowing Sarah Phipps to tag up and score. This early run set the tone for the game, and the team continued to build their lead in the third inning when Presley Smith executed a successful tag-up to extend the advantage to 3-0.

The offense was well-rounded, with Phipps, Anaise Piar, Kassidy Pontbriant, Hezzy Seabrook, Thaima Maximiliana, and Smith each contributing a hit. Braylee Shields and Maximiliana drove in crucial runs, while the team collectively demonstrated patience at the plate, earning six walks—Piar and Smith leading the way with two each. Their speed on the bases was evident as they stole an impressive nine bases throughout the game. Defensively, Indian River was flawless, committing no errors.

Up next: vs. Florida Southwestern at 4PM and 6PM at The River.

Follow all things Pioneer Athletics on Instagram and Twitter @irscathletics

Follow Pioneer softball on Instagram and Twitter @irscsoftball