WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Husson University softball team fell in a pair of closely-contested games on day two of its participation in the Spring Games, as it dropped a 4-2 game with Transylvania University to start the day, before battling No. 9 Trine University to a 2-0 loss to end Saturday evening.
Transylvania 4, Husson 2:
Three runs in the first two innings was all Transylvania (4-2) needed to get by Husson (1-2) in the first game of day two for the Eagles.
The Pioneers got on this scoreboard in their first turn at-bat, as two RBI-singles plated the first two runs of the ball game.
Transylvania tallied another run in visitor-half of the second inning on an RBI-double to left-center field to go up 3-0 after one-and-a-half innings of play.
Husson shaved one run off of the deficit in the home-half of the second after junior Emily Dunbar got some traffic on base for the Eagles with two outs and an RBI-double from junior Lydia Rice brought in junior Payson Kaler in from second, who pinch ran for Dunbar.
The Eagles got to within one run in the bottom of the fourth inning, after senior Kiara McLeod led off the frame with a triple down the right field line and junior Jordan Lambert brought her in with a single the very next batter to cut the lead down to 3-2.
After a quiet fifth inning for both teams, the Pioneers added an insurance run in the top of the sixth on another RBI-extra base hit to carry a 4-2 lead into the home-half of the sixth.
Husson put one runner on in the sixth inning and two runners on in the seventh, but a line drive right at the first baseman in the bottom of the seventh turned into a double-play to end the game and allow Transylvania to come away with the win.
Rice produced two of the six hits in the game for the Eagles, as three different Husson players recorded extra-base hits in the game.
Sophomore Ana Lang went the distance for the Eagles, allowing four earned runs on six hits and three walks, while striking out eight batters.
No. 9 Trine 2, Husson 0:
In a game which saw Trine (10-4) and Husson (1-3) combine for just eight total hits, it was the Thunder who took advantage of their opportunities with runners on to pick up their 10th win of the year.
After a three-up, three-down first inning for both teams, the Eagles placed runners on the corners with no outs when graduate student Julia Gregoire advanced senior Bulla McCabe to third on a single to right-center, but Husson was unable to break the ice, as the game remained 0-0.
Trine utilized small-ball to get on the board first in the home-half of the second, as it loaded the bases with three walks off of junior Danielle Masterson and brought home a run on another free pass, but the Eagles managed to keep the damage at just one.
The Thunder would strike again in the bottom-half of the fifth to double their lead, as they took advantage of a lead-off double to go up 2-0 on the Eagles.
Husson was able to put a runner in scoring position in the top of the sixth inning, but couldn't break through against Alexis Michon, who went the distance for Trine.
Sophomore Camryn King posted two of the four Husson hits in what was a tough game offensively for the Eagles.
Masterson struggled with command of the strike zone, lasting just two-plus innings, allowing no hits, but surrendered five free passes and one earned run. Graduate student Sky Johnson kept Husson alive in her four innings of relief, allowing four hits and one earned run, while striking out three.
The Eagles will look to get back in the win-column tomorrow when they battle Penn State Brandywine and SUNY Poly at 2 and 4:30 p.m.
