MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Houghton softball found themselves on the wrong end of two 5 innings games on Monday, losing 8-0 to John Carroll and 12-1 to Concordia-Minnesota on the first day at the USSSA Space Coast Complex.

In the opener, John Carroll got three runs in the first inning, then scored one each in the third and fourth before closing out the contest with two runs in the fifth. Olivia Carr got the start on the mound, going 3.1 innings and allowing five runs on five hits and walk. Abigial Pitts pitched an inning in relief, allowing three runs on two hits. Kareena Ulfig pitched the final two outs.

At the plate, freshman Kelley Burnett produced the lone hit of the contest.

The second game saw more offense from Houghton, but runs were hard to come by. The Cobbers spread out their 12 runs on 11 hits, and were helped by three Houghton errors. Rebecca Oates started on the mound, allowing eight runs on seven hits. She walked two and struck out two. Pitts put in two innings of relief, allowing four runs and three hits with two strikeouts, while Carr closed it out with one hit allowed in one inning pitched.

Offensively, the Highlanders got six hits, led by Danielle Nelson with two. Sarah McArthur, Kareena Ulfig, Adelynn Killian and Angelina Tantillo also had singles. Nelson scored Houghton's lone run off an RBI single by Killian.

Houghton returns to action for two more contests Tuesday. They take on Mt. Mary at 12:15 p.m., and then battle Concordia-Chicago at 2:30 p.m.