Marian box | Denison box | Cumulative stats
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Nazareth came close to winning its first softball game of the season Tuesday, but Marian University of Wisconsin held off a late Golden Flyer rally to secure a 5-4 win in the first of two games played in Arizona. The Golden Flyers dropped to 0-6 after losing 13-4 to Denison in a five-inning second game.

The Golden Flyers are off Wednesday, then play two games each Thursday and Friday before returning home from their spring-break trip.

Nazareth banged out 10 hits in the Marian game, but stranded 10 base runners, including three in the bottom of the seventh. Trailing 5-3 to start the inning, Nazareth got a lead-off triple from Sarah Cipperly, who scored one out later on a single by Casey Mathers. Freshman Sophia Rhoades followed with a single, then senior Brittany Patenaude reached on an error to load the bases. Marian escaped further damage, however, as pinch hitter Shannon Dowling struck out and Danielle Sancilio grounded out to end the game.

Kelly Kocher was the starting pitcher for the Golden Flyers and gave up four runs in the first inning before settling down and striking out 10 over seven innings.

Nazareth scored two runs in the third inning on three hits, including a two-run double by Mathers. Emily Beckley opened the inning with a single and advanced to third on a double by Kailey Ritch. Nazareth scored another run in the sixth on three hits, including an RBI single by Ritch.

In the Denison game, the Golden Flyers surrendered 11 runs in the first three innings as the Big Red exploded for 17 hits overall. The big blow was a three-run homer by Gretchen Staubach in the first inning.

Nazareth scored once in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Sancilio. The Golden Flyers added three more runs in the fifth as Liz Toner stroked a run-scoring double and Rhoades and Patenaude each contributed RBI singles.Nazareth had nine hits overall, including two each for Ritch, Toner and Mathers.