WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Neumann University Softball team began their 2025 season with their annual spring break trip to central Florida on Saturday. They fell to Bluffton University in the opener, 10-6 in nine innings, before dropping a 7-4 decision against Chatham University.
In the first game,
Tori Spinella led the Knights, going 3 for 3 with a double, a triple, three RBI, and a run scored.
Sydney Wright pitched into the ninth innings, throwing 110 pitches, giving up six earned runs on 10 hits and five walks while fanning four.
Bluffton got the scoring started in the top of the first with an RBI triple and Neumann responded in the bottom of the inning on bases-loaded walks issued to
Nicole Anderson and Spinella. The Knights added to the lead in the fourth thanks to an RBI triple by
Bri Reim. The Beavers put up two run in the fifth on an RBI single and a steal of home, forcing extra innings.
Bluffton scored three runs in the eighth on a sacrifice fly, an RBI double, and an RBI single but Neumann struck back in the bottom of the frame.
Alexis Palombi smacked an RBI single off of the pitcher and a second run scored on a throwing error, pulling Neumann within one. Spinella drove in Palombi with an RBI double, tying the game, and forcing another inning. Bluffton sealed the game with a two-run double and a two-run single.
In the night cap,
Ang Sannicandro led with three runs batted in as
Erin O'Shea and
Cioni Simmons picked up hits. Sannicandro also appeared in the circle, giving up four runs on on five hits.
Marina Costello hurled four innings and struck out four.
Neumann again saw the offense start strong. Sannicandro got the Knights on the board in the first on a two-run groundout. Chatham tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a two-run home run. In the second, two-straight RBI doubles gave the Cougars a 4-2 lead. In the third, the Knights pulled within one as Sannicandro was walked with the bases loaded. In fourth, Chatham retook a two-run lead on a sacrifice fly, but Neumann again got close in the sixth when Simmons walked with the bases loaded. The Cougars added insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on a bases loaded walk and a steal of home.
Neumann (0-2) will be back on action on Sunday morning when they take on University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg at 9:00 AM, followed by an 11:30 AM match-up against Illinois College. Both games will be played at Diamondplex in Winter Haven, Florida.
