(Game 1 Box)  (Game 2 Box) 

            FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Plymouth State University softball team split a pair of games on Tuesday in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic, suffering its first loss of the season in the opening contest against Bowdoin College, 3-1, but coming back with an 8-3 triumph over Worcester State College in the second game.

            PSU managed just one run and four hits in the loss to Bowdoin, but rebounded with a season-high 14 hits in the win over Worcester State. The Panthers are now 5-1 on their Florida trip, with an off-day coming up on Wednesday.

            Bowdoin scored the only runs they would need in the top of the first inning on a two-run double by junior Shavonne Lord (Shrewsbury, Mass.).  Freshman Caroline Dewar (Katonah, N.Y.) added an RBI infield single in the second inning to put the Polar Bears up 3-0.

            The Panthers started a comeback in the bottom of the second when the first three batters reached base, as sophomore Melissa Caiazzo (Portland, Maine/Deering) singled, freshman Allie Luisi (North Kingstown, R.I.) walked, and junior Sammi Romano (Kingston, N.H./Sanborn Regional) singled to drive in Caiazzo.  The rally stalled, though, and PSU couldn't push any runs across the rest of the game.

            Junior Julia Jacobs (Ridgewood, N.J.) collected the victory for Bowdoin, allowing just four Panther hits.  Senior Courtney MacFarland (Hampstead, N.H./Pinkerton) suffered the loss for PSU, giving up just seven hits and three runs while striking out four.

            A five-run second inning led the Panthers over Worcester State in the second game.  Most of the scoring was done in the first half of the game, as PSU led 7-3 after three innings.

            Five Panthers collected two hits each in the victory.  Junior Kay LaBrie (Somersworth, N.H.) tripled and scored in the first inning and added a two-run single in the second.  Caiazzo, Luisi, Romano and freshman Jen Skilton (Bedford, N.H./Manchester West) also had two hits each, with Skilton cracking an RBI double in the third inning.

            Sophomore Kortney Nedeau (Kennebunk, Maine) also blasted a solo home run in the sixth inning for PSU, her first of the season.

            Junior Jenna George (Cumberland, R.I.) picked up the win for the Panthers, pitching five innings and surrendering six hits and two earned runs while fanning four.  Freshman Ali Keith (Northwood, N.H./Winnisquam) pitched two scoreless innings of relief in her first appearance of the season.

            PSU gets back on the diamond Thursday with two more games, facing Brockport State (N.Y.) at 3:00 p.m. and Richard Stockton (N.J.) at 5:00 p.m. 

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