Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CLERMONT, Fla. – Immaculata University's softball squad closed out its Spring Break Trip to the NTC Spring Games in Florida with a pair of last-inning losses on Wednesday. The Mighty Macs began the afternoon with a 4-0 loss to Methodist University and then dropped a 2-1 contest in extra innings to Saint Vincent College.
 
In the first game of the day, Immaculata and Methodist were deadlocked at 0-0 heading into the seventh inning. The Mighty Macs got the Monarchs' first batter to pop up to second, before the next hitter, Sarah Stapleton, singled. Stapleton was then sacrificed into scoring position and wound up at third after a passed ball. But, with two outs, Methodist strung together four straight hits to open the door for four runs.
 
The Mighty Macs (2-4) got their leadoff hitter on base in the first, second and third innings. However, Immaculata could not capitalize on the early base runners, who were left stranded at third in all three innings.
 
Methodist had an opportunity to score in the top half of the fourth after Lindsay Tippett doubled to start the inning, and the Monarchs had runners at the corners with only one out. However, Meagan Fitzgerald was able to work out of the jam getting the final two batters to pop up and strike out.
 
It later appeared that Methodist would score in the sixth after loading the bases with only one down, but Fitzgerald got two timely strikeouts to retire the side.
 
Immaculata got just three hits against the Monarchs as Rachel Kelly, Jessica DeCastro and Caitlyn Hudock all singled.
 
Fitzgerald took the loss in the circle after tossing seven innings, allowing 10 hits, four runs, walking one and striking out six.
 
Immaculata had to quickly regroup as it immediately headed to its next game against Saint Vincent.
 
The Bearcats struck fast as they got their lead-off hitter on and she eventually came around to score for the early 1-0 lead.
 
Immaculata evened the game at 1-1 in the third as Christiana Donofry tripled and DeCastro had a RBI single to score Donofry.
 
After four scoreless innings, the two teams headed into extra innings playing with the international tie-breaker rule of placing a runner at second to begin the inning. The Mighty Macs runner at second was caught stealing for the first out. DeCastro delivered a two-out single, but was left standing at first-base.
 
In the Bearcats' half of the eighth, they sacrificed the runner to third, and the next batter, singled into center field getting the ball just over the pitcher's head and through the middle.
 
Meghan Kugler went all 7.1 innings for the Mighty Macs, giving up just six hits and both runs were unearned.
 
DeCastro had two hits and one RBI in the second game. Liz Biddle, Samantha Strickland and Donofry picked up Immaculata's other three hits of the nightcap.
 
Immaculata returns to Pennsylvania and will have almost two weeks off before traveling to Haverford on March 18 at 3 p.m.