STOCKTON, Calif. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team faced a tough pitching performance from University of the Pacific and fell behind early in a 3-0 loss to end the first day of the Louisville Slugger Tournament.
 
The Knights (4-9) managed only four hits but two of them were for extra bases. Senior Reanna Cervantes, who had two hits in the first game of the day against Boise State, also collected two hits against the Tigers (5-10), one of which went for a double.
 
Freshmen Courtney Mahoney and Amarys Miller-Godsey each recorded a hit as well, with Mahoney smacking her second double of the season.
 
Senior Baylee Ports pitched a complete game and only gave up five hits and struck out four batters but also allowed three runs.
 
The Knights started the game by putting two runners on base, with freshman Riley De Laval reaching on an error and Cervantes slashing a base hit to right field with two outs. Tiger pitcher Hailey Reed struck out the next batter though to end the threat, and the Tigers jumped ahead with two runs in the bottom of the frame to go up 2-0.
 
Miller-Godsey singled to right center to lead off the second inning for FDU, but the next three Knights were retired in order. Ports pitched around a leadoff single as well in the second and third innings, but the Tigers added to their lead with a home run in the fourth.
 
FDU threatened to score in the sixth when Mahoney's double to left put runners on second and third with two outs, but Reed induced a popup to herself to escape the inning unscathed and then retired the Knights in order in the seventh to end the game.
 
The Knights return to action Sunday with games against Sacramento State and Pacific, taking on Sacramento State at 10 a.m., PST (1:30 p.m., EST), and then ending the tournament again facing the Tigers at 2:30 p.m., PST (5:30 p.m., EST).