Indian River Sweeps Polk at Home

FORT PIERCE, FL - Indian River resumed their winning ways with a doubleheader sweep of Polk State. In game one, The River prevailed with a 10-6 victory over the Eagles. Polk struck first, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The lead, however, was short-lived as Indian River quickly turned the tide, scoring five runs in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman Braylee Shields added to the lead in the second inning with a single on a well-executed hit-and-run. Shields had an excellent offensive performance, going 3-for-4 with singles in the first, second, and sixth innings.

Polk stayed in the game, scoring two more runs in the top of the third, but The River responded again, scoring one run in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings. Polk continued to fight in the top of the sixth, scoring three more runs and cutting the The River' lead to two (8-6). The The River added two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to cap off the 10-run outing. J'dah Girigorie earned the win for Indian River, pitching three innings and giving up four hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out eight batters. Abril Gomez secured the save in the seventh, and Alexa Bethel pitched two innings of scoreless relief in the middle innings.

The team totaled 11 hits, with sophomore Kassidy Pontbriant adding two of her own. The River also displayed aggressive base running, accumulating eight stolen bases throughout the contest.

The River was firing on all cylinders again in Game two of Tuesday, April 1 doubleheader. The nightcap resulted in a decisive 10-2 run-rule victory. The team took control in the bottom of the second inning, with Anaise Piar and Sarah Phipps each walking and scoring a run, setting the tone for the game. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Indian River extended its lead with an impressive five-run frame. Sarah Phipps, McKenzie Gibson, Regan Means, and Thaima Maximiliana all played a big part in the scoring outburst.

The offense put up another three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, ultimately ending the game via the run rule. J'dah Girigorie earned the win, pitching five innings and allowing just four hits and two unearned runs while striking out eight batters. Phipps and Presley Smith were a formidable duo, each driving in two runs, with Smith leading the team with two hits in four at-bats. Anaise Piar stood out with three walks and two stolen bases, while Indian River collectively stole five more bases in this matchup. The team also displayed a keen eye at the plate, drawing a total of seven walks.

Next up, The River will travel to Tampa to face Hillsborough Community College. The Citrus Conference doubleheader is scheduled for Thursday, April 3, at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

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