DeLAND, Fla. – The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team split two games at the Stetson Classic at Wilson Stadium on Saturday, March 9. The Knights defeated Colgate, 3-2, and fell to Stetson, 5-2, moving to 3-4 on the season.

Sophomore Cindy Zamudio (Wilmington, Calif./Redondo Union) led off game one against Colgate with a walk and advanced to second on her first stolen base of the season. Angelique Nieves (Union City, N.J./High Tech High School) popped a foul ball down the first-base line to allow Zamudio to tag and take third base. Colgate's throw attempt to third base resulted in an error and allowed Zamudio to cross the plate and give FDU a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Knights continued their offensive surge when freshman Julia Northcutt (Irvine, Calif./Northwood High School) singled to start the third inning before a bunt by Zamudio moved Northcutt to second base. After Northcutt stole third base, freshman Madelaine Wilen (Bakerfield, Calif./Ridgeview High School) doubled to drive in a run and increase FDU's lead to 2-0.

The Knights maintained the offensive advantage with runners in the fourth and sixth innings but held onto the 2-0 lead. Nieves reached base to start the top of the seventh on an error at third base and advanced to third on a single by freshman Courtney Slye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley High School). Sophomore Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) walked to load the bases for FDU, and freshman Hayley Floyd (Selah, Wash./Selah High School) earned an RBI after drawing a bases-load walk to increase the lead to 3-0.

The Raiders responded in the bottom of the seventh when the leadoff batter walked and crossed home plate on an RBI double. An infield ground out allowed a second runner to score to bring the final score to 3-2.

Junior Samantha Lemm (Berlin, N.J./Eastern Regional High School) earned the win over Colgate with no earned runs on three hits in 4.1 innings of work. Lemm moved to 1-1 on the season after walking just one and striking out two. Senior Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) earned her second save of the year with 2.2 innings in the circle, where she allowed two earned runs on one hit and two walks.

Offensively, the team combined for 11 hits on the day. Shaughnessy paced the team with three hits in four at bats, while Northcutt and Slye each added two.

Game two started as a pitchers' duel, with the teams combining for eight strikeouts and just two hits in the first three innings.

The Hatters led off the fourth with a double to the left-field wall and put a second runner on base with a walk. Stetson's Chelsea Whalley held a 0-2 count with two outs when she hit a long ball over the center-field fence to give Stetson a 3-0 lead.

The Knights challenged the Hatters with extra base hits and several base runners in the fourth and fifth innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Shaughnessy singled down the right-field line on the first pitch of the inning. Northcutt followed with a double down the left-field line to drive in the runner and put the Knights on the scoreboard.

The Hatters increased their advantage in the sixth and seventh innings and led 5-1, as the game entered the final half inning.

Shaughnessy increased the Knights' run total to open the bottom of the seventh with a home run to left-center field. The senior's run was not enough to cut the Stetson advantage, and the Knights ultimately fell, 5-2.

Megan Reiner (Los Angeles, Calif./John Marshall) took the loss in Saturday's game, allowing six hits, four earned runs and one walk in 5.1 innings. The sophomore added one to her career high with seven strikeouts in the outing. Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical High School) pitched 1.2 innings of relief for FDU and allowed one earned run on three hits with one strikeout.

Collectively, the Knights produced six hits, highlighted by two hits and two runs from Shaughnessy. Northcutt and Wilen also added two hits each.

The Knights will conclude the Stetson Classic on Sunday, March 10 with a contest against Colgate. The game is set to begin at 10 a.m.