In front of a packed house, the Chattanooga Steam professional softball team played its final pool play game in the Coca-Cola Scenic City Pro Cup late Friday evening, falling in a battle with the Oklahoma City Spark 8-4.
In the first inning, Steam pitcher Ashley Rogers worked a clean inning despite a lead-off double by Rachel Becker. Keely Rochard started on the mound for the Spark, facing the minimum in the bottom of the first. Rylie Boone reached on an error to start the second, followed by a one-out single by Malua’ulu, which was all that the Spark could muster as they were stranded to end the inning.
The scoring started in the fourth with a homerun by Sydney Sherrill scoring Boone to put the Spark up 2-0. Steam was quick to respond after a lead-off single by Webster and walks of Busby and Tow. Logoleo picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice to the shortstop, which was then followed by a homerun by Morgan Smith to put the Steam ahead 4-2. Gobourne came in to pitch for the Spark in the bottom of the fifth and did not allow a runner.
The Steam eliminated a leadoff single when they turned a double play in the sixth. In the top of the seventh, the Spark came to life. Scoring five runs on six hits and knocked Rogers out of the game after a Kinzie Hansen three-run bomb. Morgan Smith came on in relief and would have shut the door, but a costly error on a steal allowed for another run to come home. The bottom of the seventh would prove the Steams' fight, as they loaded the bases with two outs, but Gobourne continued her shutdown pitching and found a strike-out to end the game.
The Steam’s final game of the weekend will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Frost Stadium against the Florida Vibe.