BERKELEY, Calif. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team suffered from big first inning deficits in dropping both games of a doubleheader at University of California Berkeley by scores of 6-1 and 12-1.
 
The Knights (5-14) were held to just three hits in the first contest and then two hits in the night cap. The Golden Bears (18-7) took advantage of big first innings in both games, forcing the Knights to play from behind in each game.
 
Senior Reanna Cervantes finished 2-for-3 at the dish in the first game, hitting her third double of the season. Freshman Courtney Mahoney singled in the fourth inning to represent the third hit for the Knights.
 
Cal took a 3-0 lead in the opening game on a three-run home run, but FDU responded with a run in the third inning when junior Summer Mendoza walked and later scored on an error to make it 3-1.
 
Mahoney's single led off the fourth inning and she advanced to third but was unable to score. The Golden Bears benefited from another home run in the fourth to go up 4-1 and then added two more runs in the sixth to make the final margin.
 
Senior Baylee Ports tossed a complete game for the Knights in the opening loss and struck out one batter.
 
The Golden Bears again jumped ahead early in the later game, totaling six runs in the first inning. The Knights got one run back in the following frame, as freshman Amarys Miller-Godsey reached on an error, a Serene Meehan single advanced her and another error later plated her to make it 6-1.
 
Cal, however, then added three more runs in the bottom of the second on a three-run home run and later scored two more runs in the third and another run in the fourth.
 
Freshman Jillian Ward singled in the fifth inning for the Knights' other hit in the late game.
 
The Knights take a day off on Thursday before wrapping up their California trip with two games at Sacramento State on Friday and two games at UC Davis on Saturday, playing each of the host teams along with Marist.