MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Houghton softball lost 12-0 to Dubuque before bouncing back with a 5-4 win over Misericordia on Thursday at the USSSA Space Coast Games in Florida.

The first game was rough defensively for the Highlanders as Dubuque rapped out 14 hits and scored all 12 runs in the first four innings. Houghton had four players register a hit, with freshman Angelina Tantillo hitting a double. Kelley Burnett was credited with a stolen base. Olivia Carr got the start on the mound, allowing 12 runs on 12 hits in three innings. Abigail Pitts pitched two innings, allowing two hits and walking three.

"Our bats looked good; we just couldn't capitalize with runners on base," said Head Coach Olivia Kincanon. "Olivia pitched great, until she went down with a shoulder injury knocking her out of the game. Abigail stepped up for us to get us out of a long inning."

The second contest of the day was a more exciting affair, as the Highlanders got the win with two runs in the top of the ninth. After Misericordia jumped out to a 1-0 lead after the first inning, the Highlanders responded with a run in the second and two in the third to go up 3-1. The Cougars rallied with two scores in the sixth to tie the game. The teams went scoreless in the next two innings, before Houghton got two across in the top of the ninth. With Hannah Fish placed on second for the international tiebreaker, Rebecca Oates advanced the runner to third with a bunt and then Fish scored on an error. Danielle Nelson got a key two-out RBI single that drove in PItts to give the Highlanders a 5-3 lead.

The Cougars pulled back a run in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn't put another across.

Sarah McArthur tallied two of the six hits by the Highlanders. Oates, Fish, Nelson and Breonna Jones each registered singles.

On the mound, Kareena Ulfig turned in a strong performance, allowing four runs on nine hits in the complete game victory. She also struck out two batters.

"Our girls fought hard," said Kincanon. "Kareena pitched the game of her life. We kept hitting their pitchers and putting the ball in play. Rebecca had a huge bunt. We had amazing defense and pitching, which when we have that and our bats going, no team can beat us. This was a team effort and a huge win for us."