NAPLES, FL – Freshman Maddy Spakoski was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in and one run scored to lead the Nazareth Softball team as the Golden Flyers used a seven-run sixth inning to come-for-behind and win the first game in Florida with a 10-7 victory over Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA).
Nazareth (1-1) dropped the second game of the day as William Paterson scored an 8-0 win in six innings.
The Golden Flyers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of the MCLA (0-3) game after starting pitcher senior Emily Daciw worked a 1-2-3 top of the first.
Graduate student Justine Brooks walked to start the bottom of the first and with one out, stole second. She moved to third on a ground out. Senior Sarah Simmons was next and had a 3-2 count before swinging at a third strike but the umpire called an illegal pitch giving Simmons a walk and extending the inning.
After Simmons stole second base, Spakoski delivered a two-run single. Daciw followed with a single before sophomore Maggie Burdick reached on a fielding error to force home Spakoski for the 3-0 lead.
MCLA battled back and took a lead with four runs in the top of the second with the help of two hits, an error and four walks.
The score remained 4-3 until the sixth inning when MCLA pushed across three more runs with all three runs coming with two outs in the frame.
After a pop fly to Spakoski in left field ended the rally, Nazareth put together a rally of its own.
A Daciw walk followed by singles by Burdick and junior Marissa Berghorn loaded the bases. Freshman Bella Romano walked to force home one run. After a pitching change, Brooks walked for another run and junior Cassidy Hoffmier singled home two more runs to tie the game.
Brooks scored on a ground out to give Nazareth the lead and Simmons singled to score Hoffmier to extend the lead. Two more walks and a fielder's choice gave the Golden Flyers the 10-7 lead.
Daciw delivered another 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to cap the win.
In game two, Nazareth was limited to just two hits as freshman Ashley Bell and senior Hallie Bennett each had singles.
The Golden Flyers continue the Florida spring training trip with games against SUNY Cobleskill and Wisconsin-Superior Monday.
