The Saint Vincent College softball team opened the 2020 season in Clermont, Florida for the annual Spring Games. The Bearcats fell in the first game to Bluffton but came back to win their second game of the day over Regis College.
 
Game 1 Recap: Bluffton 8, Saint Vincent 0 (5 Inn.)
 
In the 2020 opener, it was all Bluffton from the start. The Beavers scored the first run of the game in the opening frame with a double to centerfield.
 
The fourth inning, Bluffton scored five runs with four of them being unearned due to two errors by Saint Vincent. In the fifth, Bluffton scored its final two runs with a sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice.
 
The Bearcats only collected two hits on the day as Lauren Miller and Justina Sirohman were the SVC players to reach base. Riley Assalone started in the circle as she went four innings, giving up eight runs (four earned) on 10 hits in the loss.
 
Game 2 Recap: Saint Vincent 9, Regis 8 (8 Inn.)
 
In game two of the double header, the Bearcats found themselves trailing early as the Pride scored three runs in top of the first inning. In the bottom half of the frame, Kelsey Tobin singled through the right side to bring home Sydney Tressler and Sirhoman to pull SVC within one (3-2).
 
In the bottom of the second, Saint Vincent tied the game at three as Monica Gourley singled through the middle to plate Mary Maceda.
 
The tie was short lived as Regis scored four unearned runs in the top of the third to take a 7-3 lead. In the bottom part of the third, the Bearcats cut the deficit in half as Sirhoman singled through the left side to bring home Kaylee Ludwick and Abbey Ginter.
 
An inning later, Ginter hit the long ball to tie the game at seven as Tobin walked her way to first in the previous at-bat. The inning continued for Saint Vincent when Hanna Pavsek reached on an error that allowed Shae Robson to score after she stole second base.
 
Trailing 8-7, the Pride responded in the top of the fifth with a RBI single to left field to even the score. With the score at eight all, both teams had runners in scoring position but did not capitalize.
 
As the game headed to extra innings, the international tie breaker rule was instituted. At the start of each inning, a runner is placed on second base with the intent of accelerating opportunities to score and bringing the game to a speedier conclusion.
 
Regis was unable to score in the top of the eighth and thus Saint Vincent had a chance for a walk off in the bottom of the inning. After Tressler was placed on second base, Assalone grounded out to advance the freshman the third base. In the next at-bat, Tobin laid down a bunt and as she reached first base, Tressler was able to score to give SVC the 9-8 victory.
 
Tobin finished the game with two hits and three runs batted in while both Sirhoman and Ginter drove in two runs.
 
Samantha Love started for the Bearcats as she 2.2 innings, giving up seven runs (three earned) on six hits. Assalone picked up the win as she pitched three innings allowing just four hits and no runs.
 
Saint Vincent (1-1) will face John Carroll on Monday morning at 10:15 a.m. before facing Eastern University at 12:30 p.m. Both games will take place at Legends Way Field Complex in Clermont, Florida.