KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team split a pair of morning games at the Rebel Spring Games on Thursday, March 14. The Knights fell to Youngstown State, 5-1, early in the day and defeated Albany, 7-4, in the second contest and are now 7-7 on the year.

The Penguins challenged FDU early in game one with five base runners in the first three innings. The Knights stopped all offensive opportunities to hold YSU scoreless, but could not take a lead early in the game.

An infield single put a YSU runner on base in the fourth inning before a home run to center field gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

The Penguins then extended their lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning but were halted with two runners on.

Consecutive singles by Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) and Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) set freshman Hayley Floyd (Selah, Wash./Selah High School) up for an at bat with two runners on. Floyd singled to left center to drive in a run and put the Knights on the scoreboard down 3-1.

Youngstown State sealed the win with two runs on three hits in the top of the seventh inning to bring the final score to 5-1.

Sophomore Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) took the loss against YSU to move to 1-4 on the year. She allowed three earned runs on six hits, struck out six and walked two in five innings of work. Shaughnessy pitched two innings of relief work and allowed two runs on three hits.

Overall, the Knights produced five hits in the contest.

In game two, the Great Danes threatened the Knights right away with two runners on base. Starting pitcher Samantha Lemm (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional High School) settled down to end the inning with a strikeout and eliminate the Danes' scoring opportunity.

The Knights attacked in the top of the third when senior Mikayla Fernandez (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) laid a double down the right field line. Freshman Madelaine Wilen (Bakerfield, Calif./Ridgeview High School) followed with a double to left center to drive Fernandez in and put the Knights ahead, 1-0.

The Danes responded with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to claim a 2-1 advantage.

With two outs in the sixth inning, the Knights mounted a rally. A walk by Hayley Floyd (Selah, Wash./Selah High School) sparked the Knights, who then saw singles from Dorado, Shaughnessy and Angelique Nieves (Union City, N.J./High Tech High School) to drive in two runs and take a 3-2 lead.

Fernandez started the top of the seventh with a single to right field. Freshman Julia Northcutt (Irvine, Calif./Northwood High School) reached base on an infield error that allowed Fernandez to move to third. After a second walk by Hayley Floyd (Selah, Wash./Selah High School), the Knights had the bases loaded for Dorado.

Dorado then knocked a grand slam on the first pitch to increase the Knights advantage to 7-2 in the final inning.

Albany challenged the Knights' lead in the bottom of the seventh by loading the bases on an infield error, a batter hit by a pitch and a single. A wild pitch allowed one run to score before a sacrifice fly brought the score to 7-4.

Freshman relief pitcher Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical High School) finished the inning with a strikeout to end the game and give FDU the win.

Offensively, the Knights produced seven hits on the day and walked twice.

Lemm earned the win, as she allowed three earned runs on seven hits in 6.1innings of work. Stavrou struck out one and walked one in 0.2 innings.

The Knights are back in action on Friday, March 15 when they take on Green Bay and Utah Valley at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.