NORFOLK, Va. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team split games on the second day of the Norfolk State Spartan Clash on Monday, Feb. 25. The Knights defeated Delaware State, 9-1, but fell to host Norfolk State, 6-1, improving to 2-1 on the season.

The Knights' bats started strong as they took on Delaware State in the first game of the day. Cindy Zamudio (Wilmington, Calif./Redondo Union) led off the game with a double to center field and advanced to third on Madalaine Wilen's groundout. A double by Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) scored Zamudio and placed a runner on second with just one out. Angelique Nieves (Union City, N.J./High Tech High School) drove in Dorado for the second run of the inning with a single up the middle to give FDU a 2-0 lead.

As the leadoff batter in the second, freshman Courtney Slye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley High School) extended the Knights' edge to 3-0 on a solo home run to right center for her first collegiate hit. After a pitching change by DSU, freshman Hayley Floyd (Selah, Wash./Selah High School) doubled to right center. With two outs, Wilen singled down the left-field line to score Floyd and put the Knights ahead, 4-0.

The Knights' continued their offensive surge in the third inning. With two outs, Nieves singled down the left-field line and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Senior Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) singled up the middle to advance Nieves to third and stole second base on her first steal attempt of the season. With runners on second and third, Slye walked to load the bases for Floyd, who connected and singled up the middle to record her first collegiate RBI and increase the Knights' advantage to 6-0.

The Hornets challenged FDU in the bottom of the fourth with a single up the middle. DSU then connected for a second consecutive single, and with one out, the Hornets loaded the bases when the left fielder was hit by a pitch.

Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) relieved freshman Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical High School) in the circle, and the next batter reached on a fielder's choice, which threw a runner out at third and picked up an RBI as one run scored. Shaughnessy then struck out the next batter to end the Hornet's threat.

The Hornets changed pitchers again to begin the fifth inning. As the first batter, Shaughnessy led off the inning with a single to center field. Nieves followed with another single up the middle to put runners on first and second, as Fernandez approached the plate. She knocked a three-run  home run to left field on the first pitch to extend the FDU lead to 9-1.

The Knights held DSU scoreless in the bottom of the fifth and sealed a 9-1 victory to move to 2-0 on the year.

Stavrou (1-0) earned the win in her collegiate debut by allowing just one run on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks in 3.1 innings of work. Shaughnessy finished out the game with one hit and one strikeout.

Fernandez led the 13-hit offensive attack with two hits and three RBI, while Nieves went 3-for-3. Freshmen Slye and Floyd also added two hits.

The Knights faced Spartan Clash host, Norfolk State, in game two. NSU started the game with a double and a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. Wilen attempted to catch the runner stealing second but overthrew second base and allowed a run to score from third on the error. After one inning, Norfolk State led FDU 1-0.

The Spartans added a run in the top of the second after two consecutive errors from the Knights and went up 3-0 in the third with consecutive hits and strong base running. Two infield errors allowed Norfolk State to take a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning.

The Knights' best chance for a comeback came in the bottom of the sixth, as Zamudio singled to left center before Wilen reached first on a fielder's choice. Dorado earned a walk and advanced to second when Liz Woidt (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton)'s pop up was dropped by the second baseman, which advanced Wilen to third, loading the bases for Shaughnessy, who flew out to right field to end the threat.

Fernandez led off the seventh with a double to left field and was driven home on a double to center field by Slye. The run prevented a shutout but could not spark a comeback for the Knights in the 5-1 loss.

Junior Samantha Lemm (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional High School) (0-1) took the loss by allowing four runs on five hits, although just one run was earned. She walked one and recorded no strikeouts over 3.0 innings of work.

Sophomore Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) recorded 4.0 inningss of relief work with four hits, one unearned run and two strikeouts.

Slye led the Knights offense in game two with the lone RBI, while the team collected only four hits.

The Knights will continue the 2013 campaign at the Stetson Classic March 8-10 in DeLand, Fla.