KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team went 1-1 on Tuesday, March 12 at the Rebel Spring Games. The Knights took a 3-2 win over Eastern Illinois in game one and fell to Creighton University, 4-0, later in the afternoon to go to 6-6 on the season.

After a rain delay, the Knights faced Eastern Illinois in game one. Freshman thrower Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical High School) began the day with two quick strikeouts in the bottom of the first. A walk and an error allowed two runners to reach base to threaten FDU, but Stavrou recorded her third strikeout to end the inning.

With one out in the top of the second, sophomore Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) knocked a solo home run to left-center field to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.

The Panthers attacked in the bottom of the third inning with two runners on base and just one out, but freshman catcher Madelaine Wilen (Bakerfield, Calif./Ridgeview High School) threw out a runner in an attempt to steal before Courtney Slye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley High School) dove along the third-base line to catch the third out and eliminate the EIU challenge.

In the bottom of the fourth, EIU's leadoff batter was hit by a pitch to take first base. Two groundouts advanced the runner to third before an error at third base allowed the runner to score and even the game at one.

Angelique Nieves (Union City, N.J./High Tech High School) drew a walk in the sixth inning to put one runner on for Slye. The rookie then hit a two-run shot to deep center field to increase FDU's advantage to 3-1.

The Panthers responded to the Knights' edge in the bottom of the sixth with two consecutive doubles. The second hit drove in the leadoff batter to bring the Panthers within one run. Senior Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) entered the game to relieve Stavrou in the circle with one runner on and no outs and forced three quick outs to get out of the jam and maintain the 3-2 lead.

The Knights held onto the lead through the seventh inning to seal the win and more to 6-5 on the year.

Stavrou earned the victory with one earned run on three hits. She struck out five batters and walked just one through five innings. Shaughnessy earned her third save of the season with no hits in two innings of work.

Offensively, the Knights recorded six hits, each from a different player, while the Panthers were held to only three hits on the day.

FDU took on Head Coach Candi Letts' alma mater, Creighton University, in the second game of the afternoon.

After three scoreless innings, the Bluejays took a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer to left field by pinch hitter Blake Ringle and added a third run on a solo homer to right-center in the top of the sixth.

Creighton went ahead 4-0 in the top of the seventh after an infield error, a series of singles and an FDU error in center field.

The Knights mounted an offensive attack in the bottom of the seventh started by a single to left field by Slye. Dorado reached base on a fielder's choice and advanced to second when Shaughnessy was hit by a pitch. The Knights attack was stopped with two runners on to let Creighton take the win, 4-0.

The Knights recorded just three hits in the contest and struck out eight times.

Sophomore Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) took the loss on the mound and moved to 1-3 on the year. She allowed three earned runs on 10 hits in the complete-game effort while striking out four and walking only one.

The Knights will take Wednesday off before facing Youngstown State and Albany on Thursday, March 13. FDU will face YSU at 9 a.m. with the Albany game slated for immediately after.