MAC softball team starts off winless in Alabama

MONROEVILLE, Ala. – The Mineral Area softball team wrapped a season-opening trip to the Alabama gulf coast without a victory despite coming close on Sunday.

Coastal Alabama-Monroeville completed a doubleheader sweep with a 3-2 victory in game two after rallying for three unanswered runs in the early frames.

The Cardinals grabbed a 2-0 lead on RBI singles by Elly Pattengill and Potosi graduate Chelbi Poucher in the second inning, but were promptly matched during the home half.

Macy Houart doubled while equaling Pattengill and Poucher at 2-for-3 overall. Makayla Tourville, Chloe Coppedge and Cate Davis had the other hits for Mineral Area (0-6).

Alyssa Brown allowed two earned runs on six hits and three walks in the complete-game loss.

Coastal Alabama-Monroeville pounced for six runs against starting hurler Alyssa Spane in the opening frame of game one, and rolled to an 11-3 triumph after MAC committed eight defensive errors.

Pattengill notched a double among two hits, and Brown smacked a two-run triple in the fourth. Brittany Kreitler, Tourville, Coppedge, Houart and Poucher each singled for the Cardinals.

Mineral Area spent Friday and Saturday days in Gulf Shores, but produced just four combined runs over those four games.

The season debut concluded in a 12-1 loss to Chattanooga State, which ended with 15 hits. Pattengill and Tourville collected the only hits for the Cardinals, and Spane pitched five innings in defeat.

Rycca Hinton twirled a five-inning one-hitter later Friday, and Maycie Hardy homered and singled as NW Florida State, playing its 15th game of the season, blanked the Cardinals 10-0.

Coppedge singled for MAC in her lone official at-bat. Brown yielded 13 hits in the loss, and struck out three while walking none.

Tourville saved the Cardinals from another potential no-hitter on Saturday, as Pensacola State prevailed 9-0 after picking up five runs against Mattison Webb in the first inning.

Coastal Alabama-Bay Minette overpowered the Cardinals 15-3 later Saturday after totaling 15 hits off a combination of three pitchers.

Webb provided a two-run single, and Poucher doubled for Mineral Area. Kreitler added an RBI hit while Coppedge and Davis also singled.

The Cardinals will return to action on Feb. 28 against SE Illinois at Shawnee Park in Cape Girardeau, Mo.