CLERMONT, Fla. -- Houghton softball opened Tuesday in Florida with a 7-0 loss to Cleary University and suffered a heartbreaking 5-4 loss in the final at bat against Concordia-Moorhead to close the day.
In the opener, the Highlanders fell behind 4-0 in the top of the first and never found their rhythm offensively. Cleary added one run in the sixth and scored their final two in the seventh.
Houghton produced five hits in the contest, two of those coming off the bat of
Taylor Sile.
Kaylee Jentsch went the distance, allowing all seven runs on 10 hits, while striking out three and walking just one.
In game two, Houghton again fell behind after allowing a run in the bottom of the second. But it didn't take long for the Highlanders to respond.
Bailey Shattell led off the top of the third with a single, stole second and reached third on a passed ball. After
Tanya Hatton walked,
Katelyn Cook singled home Shattell to even the score at one.
The Cobbers added two runs in the bottom of the third to regain the lead at 3-1. The Highlanders were able to respond with two more runs in the top of the fifth to even the score. Barb Richert reached on a single and came home on a single to third by
Alishia Foss. Jentsch and Cook hit back-to-back singles, with Foss scoring on the Cook hit.
Houghton finally found themselves in the lead in the top of the seventh when
Kelly Parmeter scored on a wild pitch. The freshman was called on to pinch run for Foss, who singled to reach base and added a stolen base to advance to scoring position.
The lead was short-lived, however, as the Cobbers took advantage of a hit batter, a stolen base and two singles to score twice in the bottom of the seventh. Both runs came with two outs.
The Highlanders produced nine hits on the afternoon, with Jentsch, Foss and Cook registering two apiece. Jentsch, Cook, Foss, and Shattell each stole a base.
Hatton pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on two hits, walking four and striking out four. Sile came on in relief and pitched 4 1/3, striking out three and allowing two runs on four hits.
Houghton (0-4) has Wednesday off before returning to action Thursday with games against Finlandia University (2 p.m.) and Mt. Vernon Nazarene University (4:30 p.m.).
