WINTER HAVEN, Fla – The Neumann University softball team dropped a couple of tough games in day two of their annual season-opening spring trip. In the first game they fell to Pittsburgh-Greensburg by a final score of 12-8. In the day's finale, it was a 2-1, eight-inning loss against Illinois College.
 
In the first game, the Knights were led by Emily Ammon's 2 for 4 performance, and she drove in two runs. Bri Reim also went 2 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Nicole Anderson was 2 for 3 with two runs. Lauren Farrier was handed the loss as she gave up seven hard luck runs on 10 hits while striking out two over three innings. Two of those hits were pop-ups that were lost in the sun.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Pitt-Greensburg picked up a run in the second on an RBI single to center field. In the third, the Bobcats added on with six more runs using three RBI doubles, a two-run single, and an RBI fielder's choice to make it 7-0.
 
In the fourth, Tori Spinella got on base via a fielder's choice and was moved to third on a Anderson bunt single. Reim followed with a single to left, scoring Spinella and moving Anderson to second. Ammon followed with an RBI base hit to right, plating Anderson. With Sydney Wright at the plate, a wild pitch moved Reim to third and E. Ammon to second, then Wright drove in Reim on a grounder to make it a 7-3 game.
 
Cioni Simmons led off the bottom of the fifth by drawing a walk and advanced to third when Faith Weaver singled. Alexis Palombi made it a 7-4 game with an RBI single through the left side of the infield, plating Simmons. After Spinella reached on an error, Weaver scored on a double play to pull the Knights within two.
 
Pitt-Greensburg was able to extend the lead in the top of the 6^th with a two-run double and two RBI singles to make it a 11-5 game. With one out in the bottom of the inning, Wright reached on a dropped pop fly and reached third on a Rylie Norris infield single. After Norris stole second, Simmons drove in Wright with an RBI infield hit to get Neumann withing five.
 
The Bobcats got the run right back in the seventh on an RBI single. In the bottom of the inning, Neumann attempted to comeback. With one out, Anderson singled to left and moved to second on Reim's infield hit. E. Ammon plated Anderson on an RBI single to left, advancing Reim to third. Wright drove in Reim with a sacrifice fly to center, but the comeback fell short.
 
The Knights didn't have much time to think about the loss as they just had a half hour and a 100 foot walk to their next field, and their next game. This match up, against Illinois College was mush different as the first four innings went scoreless.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, the Blues got on the board with a steal of home after a walk and a bunt single. In the top of the seventh, with one out, E. Ammon got on base with a single to center. Two batters, later, Anaya Torres smashed a double to left-center, scoring E. Ammon to tie the game, sending the game into extra innings. Unfortunately for Neumann, Illinois walked-off in the eighth inning with a bases loaded single.
 
Marina Costello went into the eighth inning in the circle, firing 101 pitches. She allowed just one earned run on five hits, four walks, and a hit by pitch, while striking out four.
 
Neumann(0-4) will be back in action on Monday morning as they take on Moravian University at 9:00 AM and Clark University at 11:30 AM. Both games will be played at the Fortune Road Complex in Clermont, Florida.