Softball Clipped by Minnesota-Morris 13-5

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- The Eastern Nazarene College softball team suffered a 13-5 setback to the University of Minnesota-Morris Wednesday morning at the Cape Coral Sports Complex in Florida as part of the Gene Cusic Classic.

The Lions slide to 1-5 on the season while the Cougars improve to 2-7 overall.

Breana Corell (Castle Rock, Colo.) posted a team-high two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Sterling Germani (North Kingstown, R.I.) landed two hits, drove in one RBI and crossed the plate once. Krystal Holl (Smithsburg, Md.) finished with a pair of base knocks while Shelby Bass (Visalia, Calif.) and Carissa Cicolini (Methuen, Mass.) each recorded an RBI hit in the game.

Eastern Nazarene raced out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Corell plated Germani from first base as she sliced a double to right-center. Cicolini followed with a double to drive in Corell before Holl and Bass landed back-to-back singles to score Cicolini.

Minnesota-Morris pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the second to trim the deficit to 3-2. Clare Hamer motored home as Alli Barber reached on an error and Molly Olson drew a bases-loaded walk to plate Kallie Grote.

The Lions added a run in the third as Corell launched her second home run of the season, a solo shot to left-center to double the margin to 4-2.

The Cougars claimed a one-run edge in the fourth inning, tallying three runs on four singles to jump ahead 5-4.

Minnesota-Morris tacked on three runs in the fifth to push its lead to 8-4.

Eastern Nazarene scored once in the sixth to narrow the gap to 8-5. Germani flared a single into shallow right field to drive in Paulina Gonzales (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) from third base with two outs.

The Cougars stretched their lead to 13-5 with five runs in the top of the seventh.

Cicolini pitched a complete game for the Lions and struck out five batters.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene wraps up play at the Gene Cusic Classic March 12 against Olivet College and Wisconsin Lutheran.