CLERMONT, Fla. (Mar. 4)- The Saint Vincent softball team split their final doubleheader in Florida on Wednesday afternoon.

The Bearcats fell to Carnegie Mellon in the first game, 5-1, before concluding their trip with an 8-2 victory over Johnson and Wales in the doubleheader finale.

Game 1- Carnegie Mellon 5, Saint Vincent 1
The Saint Vincent softball team dropped a 5-1 decision to Carnegie Mellon University in non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon in Clermont, Florida.

The Bearcats fell to 1-6 overall on the season, while the Tartans improved to 5-1.

Carnegie Mellon opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. After a leadoff single and stolen base by Jasmine Chao, Madison Heimann lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that brought Chao home to give the Tartans a 1-0 lead.

Saint Vincent answered in the bottom half of the inning. Lily Rush singled to right field to begin the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Eva Farone. Samantha Farrell then delivered an RBI double to left center, plating Rush and evening the score at 1-1.

The Tartans regained the lead in the fourth inning when Chao connected on a solo home run to left center, making it a 2-1 game. Carnegie Mellon added another run in the fifth as Kira Monji singled to center field to score Bella Reuss, pushing the advantage to 3-1.

Saint Vincent threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mackenzie Favero drew a walk and Macie McHugh followed with a single to put two runners on base. Josey Michalski then worked another walk to load the bases with two outs, but the Tartans escaped the jam with a strikeout to keep the Bearcats off the scoreboard.

Carnegie Mellon added insurance in the seventh inning, scoring two runs following a Saint Vincent error and an RBI single from Maddy Beall to extend the lead to 5-1.

The Bearcats recorded four hits in the contest, led by Rush, Farone, Farrell, and McHugh with one apiece. Farrell finished with the team's lone RBI, while Rush scored the only Saint Vincent run.

In the circle, A.J. Arnal tossed a complete game for the Bearcats, allowing five runs (three earned) on 10 hits while striking out three over seven innings.

Carnegie Mellon's Gabriella Triano earned the win after allowing one run over four innings, while Haley Pucci recorded the save with three scoreless frames in relief.

Game 2- Saint Vincent 8, Johnson and Wales 2
The Saint Vincent softball team picked up its second win of the season on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Johnson & Wales University (Charlotte) by a score of 8-2 in non-conference action in Clermont, Florida.

With the win, the Bearcats improved to 2-6 overall on the season.

Saint Vincent wasted little time getting on the board, scoring in the top of the first inning. Josey Michalski worked a two-out walk and Dakota Hershberger followed with an RBI double to left center, plating Michalski to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.

Johnson & Wales answered in the bottom of the third inning. Isabella Herrera reached on a walk and later scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Kaydence Hassell to even the score at 1-1.

The Bearcats regained the lead in the fourth inning. Alyssa Henderson doubled to right center and was replaced on the bases by Remmie Seitz, who advanced to third on a groundout before scoring on a wild pitch to put Saint Vincent back in front, 2-1.

Saint Vincent added another run in the fifth when Emily Dudenhoeffer launched a solo home run to center field, extending the advantage to 3-1.
The Bearcats continued to build their lead in the sixth inning. After Henderson reached on an error and advanced to second, Eva Farone connected on a two-run homer to left field, pushing the Saint Vincent lead to 5-1.

Johnson & Wales responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Jaden Hamilton, but Saint Vincent answered with three more runs in the seventh inning. An RBI double from Michalski started the rally, Hershberger followed with another run-scoring double, and Alyssa Henderson added an RBI single to cap the scoring and give the Bearcats an 8-2 lead.

Saint Vincent finished the game with 11 hits. Dudenhoeffer led the offense with three hits, including a home run and two runs scored. Farone also recorded three hits and drove in two runs with her sixth-inning homer, while Hershberger finished with two doubles and two RBIs. Henderson added two hits and an RBI, and Michalski scored twice while driving in a run.

In the circle, Natalie Bizup earned the win for the Bearcats, tossing a complete game. She allowed two runs, just one earned, on eight hits while walking two and inducing 12 groundouts over seven innings.

Saint Vincent returns to action on Saturday, March 14 as they will travel to Penn State-Fayette for a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.