• Box Score vs. Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.)
• Box Score vs. Stonehill (Mass.)

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 8) – The No. 15 California University of Pennsylvania softball team managed a split at the Rebel Spring Games on Monday, losing 4-2 to Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) before posting a 12-7 victory over Stonehill (Mass.).

With the split, the Vulcans move to 3-3 this year.

Against Concordia, junior second baseman Merissa Daley (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) went 3-for-3 with one run while batting leadoff. The rest of the team went a combined 2-for-23 with two RBI and one run.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Vulcans took a 1-0 lead when sophomore shortstop Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) lined a single that scored Daley from second base. Concordia-St. Paul answered with two runs in the top of the second and added an insurance run in both the fourth and sixth innings. Cal U cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth when senior designated hitter Julie Mackenzie (Mississauga, Ontario/Meadowvale), who started the inning with a single, scored on a sacrifice fly.

Junior starter Maria Greco (Pickering, Ontario/Notre Dame Catholic) pitched just 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits to suffer the loss. The Golden Bears' Stephanie Schmika earned the complete-game victory, allowing two runs and scattering five hits.

In the nightcap, Cal U set season highs for runs and hits in a 12-7 win against Stonehill.

Mackenzie went 3-for-4 with two runs, while Daley, Russell, senior first baseman Julia Mueller (Bairdford, Pa./Deer Lakes) and junior right fielder Amanda Wallace (Oakmont, Pa./Penn Hills) all collected two hits in the victory. Sophomore catcher Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) led the Vulcans with three RBI against the Skyhawks.

The Vulcans jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the top of the first inning, as the first eight batters of the game reached base safely. Johnson delivered a two-run double while junior third baseman Danielle Easton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) followed with a RBI single. Wallace then added a two-run triple and freshman center fielder Jami Otter (Whitby, Ontario/Anderson C.V.I.) collected a RBI single.

In the third, Wallace belted a solo homer before Stonehill cut the deficit with runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings. Cal U secured the win by scoring runs in each of the final two innings.

Senior Lauren Shaheen (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) earned her first win of the season after allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits in 4.1 innings. Greco finished the game by throwing 2.2 innings of one-hit relief.

Stonehill sophomore Kellie Reardon suffered the loss after failing to register an out in the seven-run first inning.

Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Tuesday, March 9, when it faces Southwest Minnesota State and Northern Kentucky.