Houghton University softball picked up two wins on Thursday in Melbourne, Fla., starting with a solid 4–1 victory over Anna Maria College before ending the day with a thrilling 9-7 win in 9 innings over Albright.
Against Anna Maria, the Highlanders jumped out to an early lead and backed it up with steady pitching and defense to secure the win. Houghton rallied late against Albright to go 2-0 on the day.
Houghton 4, Anna Maria 1
Houghton struck first in the opening inning to set the tone. Kareena Ulfig delivered a two-RBI single to left field, bringing home Sarah McArthur and Kelley Burnett to give the Highlanders a 2–0 lead.
Anna Maria answered in the third inning with an RBI single from M. Levesque to cut the lead to 2–1, but Houghton quickly regained control in the bottom half of the inning. Ulfig drove in another run on a groundout, scoring McArthur to make it 3–1.
The Highlanders added an insurance run in the fifth. After putting runners on base, Hannah Fish drove in Ulfig on a fielder's choice to extend the lead to 4–1.
Offensive Highlights:
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Kareena Ulfig led the offense with two hits and three RBI.
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Sarah McArthur reached base and scored twice to help spark the lineup.
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Houghton recorded five hits in the contest while consistently putting pressure on the bases.
Pitching & Defense:
Defensively, Houghton made key plays behind its pitchers to hold the AMCATS scoreless over the final four innings.
Houghton 9, Albright 7
Albright jumped out to a 5–2 lead through four innings, with an RBI single in the second and multi‑run fourth inning establishing an early cushion. The Highlanders chipped away in the fifth with two runs on an RBI single by Kareena Ulfig and an RBI fielder's choice by Hannah Fish. With the game tied 5–5 in the seventh, Houghton continued the comeback with an RBI single by Ella Christ. In the ninth, the Highlanders scored three runs — highlighted by an RBI single from Christ and an RBI hit by Kelley Burnett — to take the lead for good.
At the Plate:
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Kaija Peterson led Houghton with three hits and two RBI.
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Hannah Fish added three hits and an RBI as part of the offensive surge.
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Ella Christ finished with three hits and two RBI, including the game‑tying and go‑ahead knocks.
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Sarah McArthur chipped in with a key RBI and a run scored.
On the Mound:
- Starter Abigail Pitts (W, 1‑0) tossed 3.0 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits.
- Kareena Ulfig earned the save with 6.0 innings in relief, giving up 5 runs on 6 hits while striking out 5.
With the wins, the Highlanders continued their spring trip in Florida with momentum as they get ready to conclude their southern schedule on Friday.
