Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Clermont, Fla.— With a disappointing start their spring trip, the University of Mary softball team (6-5) responded on Monday with a split. In the first game of the day the Marauders fell 11-4 to Gannon University. U-Mary came back in the nightcap with a 6-1 victory over the University of Findlay.
 
Jessica Alvarado finished the day with a team-high five hits in eight at-bats, including an inside-the-park homerun. Alvarado also scored two runs and batted in one.
 
Game 1
 
In game one the Marauders got down early due to a series of miscues and were never able to get the bats going as they fell 11-4. Already down 3-0, several U-Mary mistakes in the third inning allowed Gannon to score seven runs, three of which were unearned.
 
Erin Keen started the game with a strikeout, but a walk and a fielder's choice sandwiched by a pair of singles led to two Knight runs. Gannon produced another run in the second to go up 3-0. In the third the Knights again took advantage of the Marauders' misfortune turning four singles, two walks and an error into seven runs.
 
U-Mary responded in their half of the inning with two runs as Keen led the inning off with a single. After Alana Norman reached on a fielder's choice, she stole second and was driven in by a single off the bat of Allison Brown. Brittney Hadley followed with a double to score Brown. Two walks loaded the bases, but U-Mary was unable to capitalize as the inning ended with just two runs. The Marauders were able to take advantage of back-to-back hits to start the fifth inning by Alvarado and Brown to add two more, but that was all they were able to score the rest of the way as they went on to fall 11-4.
 
For the game U-Mary had 12 hits to Gannon's 11. The Knights, however, took advantage of five walks and two Marauders' errors.
 
Alvarado led the way for the Marauders offense going 3-for-4 with a run. Demaree Rodriguez went 2-for-2 with two walks. Brown also added two hits.
 
Keen started the game, but was relieved after four innings by Kimberly McKnight. McKnight closed the game with three scoreless innings.
 
Game 2
 
In the second game of the day U-Mary combined good defense and good pitching to cruise to a 6-1 victory of Findlay. The Marauders finished with their first error free game of the season. Cherlyn Trujillo pitched a complete game that included nine strikeouts and zero walks.
 
The Marauders had eight hits to the Oilers five and U-Mary drew four walks to Findlay's zero. 
 
U-Mary jumped on top early as McKnight doubled to the fence in centerfield to bring home Rodriguez in the second. In the third Findlay put together a threat as a leadoff single and a stolen base gave them a runner in scoring position, but Trujillo closed to the door with a putout and two strikeouts. In the bottom of the inning the Marauders took advantage of a throwing error on the Oilers to score another run.
 
With a 2-0 lead, U-Mary added two more runs as McKnight blasted a two-run homerun over the outfield fence to give the Marauders a 4-0 lead. With one out in the fifth, lefty slap hitter Norman hit a shot to left field past a drawn in defense. Norman wheeled all the way around for an inside-the-park home run. Not to be outdone, Alvarado, also a slap hitter, followed Norman with an inside-the-park homerun as well to make the score 6-0.
 
Cruising through six and a half innings, the Marauders finally surrendered a run as a leadoff double turned into a run.
 
McKnight was 2-for-2 in the game with a walk, a double and a home run. McKnight scored one run and batted in two.
 
Up Next
 
Tuesday U-Mary will take on Lynn University at 2 p.m. CST and Wilmington University at 4 p.m. CST. Be sure to follow along on Twitter @umarysports for live updates.