KISSIMMEE, Florida - The University of Maine at Farmington softball team dropped a heartbreaker in game one before falling in a run-rule-shortened game two on day one of THE Spring Games on Saturday morning. The Beavers fell 5-4 in game one to Rutgers-Camden, then lost game two, 13-1, to Loras College.

Game One:

The Beavers' offense got going early as Ava Paglianite (Upper Black Eddy, Pa.) opened the game with a slap single over the head of the shortstop into left-center field. Two batters later, Emma DeBoer (Saint Leonard, Md.) walked on four pitches to put runners at first and second with just one out. Raptor starting pitcher Sammie Friel settled in, getting the next two hitters to escape the jam.

DeBoer started in the circle for the Beavers. She set the Raptors down in order in the bottom of the first but ran into trouble to open the second. Alana Gannon ripped a one-out single, followed by Kaede Walsh, who also singled. After a Victoria Connelly sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Zoie Mantzell hit a hard grounder to third that forced Maddie Pike (Kennebunk, Maine) into a diving play to knock it down. Pike's throw to first was not in time, and Gannon came across to score, making it 1-0 after two innings.

The Beavers responded quickly in the top of the third. Paglianite started a one-out rally with a walk. Emily Collins (Moscow, Maine) and DeBoer followed with singles to load the bases for Pike. Pike lofted a fly ball to deep center that scored Paglianite to knot the game at 1-1.

In the bottom half of the third, Kali Baker hit a one-out double and was later driven home by Madi Carr's single, helping Rutgers reclaim the lead.

The game stayed at 2-1 until the top of the sixth when Lisa Truchin (Torrance, Calif.) gave the Beavers the lead with a clutch two-out, two-run double to make it 3-2. Pike and Bella Miller (Lewiston, Maine) each singled and moved over to second and third on a sacrifice bunt from Angelina Ventullo (Salem, N.H.).

Farmington extended its lead in the top of the seventh. Paglianite led off with a walk, stole second, and then scored on a Collins sacrifice bunt that got away, making it 4-2.

DeBoer, brilliant through six-plus innings, began to tire in the seventh. Mantzell started the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Ava Iepson singled home Mantzell to make it 4-3 with one out. Baker followed, blasting a ball over the head of Collins in center to move Iepson to third. A relay throw got away, allowing Iepson to score. The throw home also got away, allowing Baker to come all the way around and give the Raptors a 5-4 walkoff win.

Pike led Farmington offensively, going 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Paglianite finished 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. DeBoer pitched 6 ? innings, giving up three earned runs while striking out four. Friel went 5 ? innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out eight. Natalie D'Angelo earned the victory for Rutgers, giving up just one unearned run in 1 ? innings while striking out two. Baker went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to lead Rutgers' offense. Mantzell went 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.

Game Two:

Loras opened the scoring early, pushing across two runs in the top of the first on a Kiya Steger two-out, two-run single to stake the Duhawks to a 2-0 lead.

Farmington cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the first. Collins ripped a one-out double to the left-field wall and moved over to third on a single from Miller. After Miller stole second, Collins came in to score as the second baseman's throw got away.

Loras broke the game open in the second, scoring five runs on five hits to make it 7-1. Ava Franklin had a two-run single while Dana Skorich and Steger each tallied RBI knocks for the Duhawks.

The Duhawks continued their offensive onslaught in the third, scoring five more runs and taking advantage of two Farmington errors to make it 12-1. Katherine Svigelj and Franklin each had RBIs in the inning.

Grace Vidmar singled home a run in the top of the fourth as Loras extended its lead further.

Farmington was unable to generate offense, managing just three hits off Steger, who struck out 13 Beavers in five innings. Franklin powered the Loras offense, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Ellie Baker also went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Pike and Collins each hit doubles to lead the Beavers' offense.

UP NEXT

The Beavers return to action on Sunday when they play Trinity at 12:30 PM, followed by a second game against Keuka College at 2:45 PM.