HOUGHTON, N.Y. -- Houghton softball went 1-1 in a two-game matchup vs. SUNY Delhi on Saturday at home. The Highlanders lost the opener 9-7 before bouncing back for a 13-7 victory in the second game.

The opener saw the Highlanders jump out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. However, the Broncos responded with eight runs in the top of the second to go up 8-4. Sarah McArthur doubled home Kelley Burnett in the bottom of the second to pull the Highlanders to within 8-5, then McArthur drove home another run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 8-6. Each team plated another run apiece in the sixth to close out the scoring.

Burnett, who doubled home Houghton's final run, finished the game 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. McArthur got a hit and two RBI, while Kareena Ulfig and Adelynn Killian each drove in a run.

Rebecca Oates went just one inning in the start, allowing four runs on a hit and four walks, before Abigail Pitts came on in relief in the second. Pitts went one inning, allowing four runs on two hits, four walks and two wild pitches. Olivia Carr closed the final five innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out four.

"We had a lot of great hits during this game. Scoring 7 runs shows we were seeing the ball well; we just came up short," said Head Coach Olivia Kincanon. "We need to be a little better right from the start defensively. We found our rhythm, but it took a little bit to do so."

Game two featured another quick offensive start for Houghton, as the Highlanders scored twice in the bottom of the first and two more times in the third. A two-run homer by the Broncos made it 4-2, but Houghton responded with three more runs over the next two innings to stretch the lead to 7-2. It would get interesting in the sixth as the Broncos scored four times to pull within a run, but Houghton again found its bats in the sixth with four hits and five runs, highlighted by a three-run tripled from Danielle Nelson.

Carr (3 runs), McArthur (3 runs) and Pitts each had three hits, while Pitts and Nelson had three RBI apiece. 

On the mound, Kareena Ulfig allowed seven runs on 10 hits over seven innings. She struck out three batters and walked one.

"Our defense showed up huge. Sarah and Dani were lights out covering the middle, outfielders were making great plays, and we limited errors," said Kincanon. "When we find our groove on defense, it makes it easier for our pitcher to throw a good game. Kareena was able to hold her own in this game. She had some solid defense behind her. Our bats never died once. We had 2 scoreless innings offensively, outside of that we scored every inning and that just shows when we put pressure on offensively, we will continue to win more games. I am very pleased with how today and this week overall went. Finishing 3-1 in two days is not easy but we did it!" 
 
The Highlanders travel to Buffalo to take on Hilbert on Tuesday, March 25 at 3 and 5 p.m.