PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL – The Patrick & Henry Community College (P&HCC) softball team showed resilience on Day 2 of the JUCO Showdown but fell short in two competitive matchups against Itawamba Community College (14-6) and Daytona State College (10-7).

Game 1: Itawamba CC 14, P&HCC 6

The Patriots fought hard but couldn't keep pace with a late offensive surge from Itawamba CC. P&HCC took an early lead in the second inning behind an RBI single from Haley Goode and a groundout by Emily Gilley that brought in another run.

The back-and-forth battle continued into the fifth inning when Laila Rodriguez hit an RBI single and Rachael Gooch launched a two-run homer to center, tying the game at 6-6. However, Itawamba responded with a seven-run sixth inning.

Aris Smith got the start for P&HCC, allowing three hits and six unearned runs over 3.2 innings while striking out four. Offensively, Gooch led the team with three RBIs, and Kinzee Motley and Goode each collected two hits. Goode also stole two bases, as the Patriots swiped three total in the game.

Game 2: Daytona State 10, P&HCC 7

In the second game, the Patriots pushed Daytona State to the brink but ultimately fell short in a 10-7 battle.

Daytona State jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the first inning and adding four more in the third, capitalizing on defensive errors by P&HCC.

The Patriots answered back, led by Kayla Bartley, Tatumn Brimm, Rachael Gooch, and Greenly Elliott, who each had two hits. Bartley drove in two runs and finished 2-for-3 at the plate. P&HCC showed strong discipline, working seven walks, with Gooch leading the team with two.

On the mound, Lily Carola started for P&HCC, allowing six hits and seven runs (three earned) over 2.2 innings. Bartley pitched 4.1 innings in relief, surrendering three runs on five hits while striking out one.

Coach Robbi Campbell's Thoughts

Following the games, Head Coach Robbi Campbell praised his team's effort despite the losses:

"On Day 2 of the JUCO Showdown, I was very impressed with the way we handled ourselves. In Game 1, we faced a very tough opponent in Itawamba CC out of Mississippi. We went back and forth with them until the sixth inning when we let it slip away. Aris Smith, Morgan McCrary, and Abby Epperson all had strong appearances in the circle for us."

"In Game 2, the Lady Patriots stepped up to the challenge of facing a solid D1 JUCO squad in Daytona State (10-1). We fell behind early, but we kept grinding inning by inning to put ourselves in a position to win it in the bottom of the seventh. We got runners on but just couldn't score them. I'm very proud of the way they played today."

Up Next: Patriots Face Gulf Coast State College

The Patriots (2-6) continue their JUCO Showdown competition on Sunday as they take on Gulf Coast State College in Panama City Beach, Florida at the Publix Sports Complex.