• Box Score vs. Minnesota State Mankato
• Box Score vs. Ferris State

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 9) – The California University of Pennsylvania softball team took a split on Friday afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games, falling 5-0 against Minnesota State Mankato before posting  a 3-2 victory against Ferris State (Mich.).

With the split, the Vulcans move to 6-2 overall with a 3-1 mark on their annual trip to The Sunshine State.

Against Ferris State, Cal U took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run double by senior designated player Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) with two outs. The Bulldogs trimmed the lead in the third with a double by first baseman Chelsea Morris, 2-1. The Vulcans answered in the fourth with a solo homer by freshman right fielder Katie Natter (Baldwin, Pa./Baldwin), her team-leading third of the season. Ferris State then cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth when third baseman Makenzi Peterson scored from third on a failed pickoff attempt.

Sophomore Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) earned the complete-game win after yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits with four strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Ferris State junior Dana Bowler suffered the loss after allowing three runs (all earned) on eight hits and two walks.

Sophomore first baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) and freshman shortstop Breanna Morris (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) both finished with two hits, while Johnson collected a pair of RBI in the win.

Cal U was limited to just one hit in the first game on Friday against Minnesota State, who was ranked No. 13 in the preseason Top 25 poll. Sophomore Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) fell to 4-1 this season after allowing two runs (both earned) in 2.1 innings of work. Mavericks' starter Kendra Huetti recorded the win after tossing 5.0 no-hit innings and junior Courtney McKelvogue worked 2.0 scoreless innings of relief.

Minnesota State took a 2-0 lead on back-to-back, two-out RBI singles in the top of the second. The Mavericks added three unearned runs without collecting a hit in the fourth to increase the lead to 5-0. Cal U avoided the no-hitter in the bottom the seventh when sophomore Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) led off the inning with a single.

Cal U continues play at the Rebel Games tomorrow, Saturday, March 10, when it faces Adelphi (N.Y.) and No. 16 C.W. Post, starting at 1 p.m.