CLERMONT, Fla. – The Adrian College softball team traveled to warmer weather to kick off its season and came away with a pair of wins. The Bulldogs came away with a 3-1 win against Thiel College and a 6-5 win against New England College. This is the first time since the 2014 season that the Adrian have started its season 2-0.

THE BASICS

Game 1 Final: Adrian 3, Thiel 1

Game 2 Final: Adrian 6, New England College 5

Location: Clermont, Fla. (Hancock Rec Complex)

Records: Adrian 2-0, Thiel 0-2, New England College 2-1

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Bulldogs struck early in the first inning of game one with a home run from Katie Connolly. Jamie Bell reached on an error to lead off the game and scored on the home run to lead 2-0. Adrian extended its lead to 3-0 on a Thiel error that scored Hope Kapelanski. Thiel got on the board in the top of the seventh with a solo home run, but it wasn't enough as the Bulldogs came away with the win.

The Bulldogs finished game one scoring three runs on four hits with no errors. Natalie Mathers went six innings for Adrian allowing three hits, no runs, and struck out nine. Emily Baldus allowed the Thiel home run but finished the inning strong to pick up the save.

The Bulldogs faced New England College in game two of the day and collected their second win. The game started with a home run derby between the two teams as New England took the lead on a solo homer in the first, but the Bulldogs responded with a home run from Lauren McCulligh.  Adrian took the lead in the top of the second on an RBI double from Hailey DeChalk. New England hit its second homer of the game to tie things at 2-2. Adrian posted four runs in the fourth and fifth on a pair of doubles from Mikalah Clay and a single from Bell.

New England wasn't done yet as they put up a run in the bottom half of the fifth and two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Adrian was able to hang on for the win at 6-5.

Bell, McCulligh, DeChalk, and Clay all finished game two with two hits as the Bulldogs put 10 hits together as a team. Loren Vail picked up the win on the rubber for Adrian by going five innings, allowing three runs on five hits with two strikeouts. 

UP NEXT

Adrian takes on Bridgewater on Monday, March 2 at 10:00 AM down in Florida before facing Berea at 12:30 PM in game two of the team's doubleheader.