KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Marian University softball (5-1, 0-0 NACC) fell to Amherst by a 9-6 final before defeating Mount St. Mary 10-2 in five innings to open their spring trip.

The Sabres battled back after trailing by as many as eight runs but their comeback fell short in the final inning.  Amherst would lead 9-1 after five and a half innings with only an RBI double from sophomore Alexa Rodriguez to show for Marian.  The Sabre offense then went to work in the bottom of the sixth scoring five runs to keep the game alive.

Rodriguez once again drove in a run to open the scoring before a bases-loaded walk from junior Gianna Esposito.  Junior Ally Fox followed with a bases-clearing double immediately after to put the score at 9-6.  The Sabres managed to get the tying run to the plate in the seventh but couldn't complete the rally.

Rodriguez finished with a three-hit game to lead the offense, while sophomore Katy Croeker and Fox also had multi-hit games.  In the circle, Paige Rauhut suffered the loss despite only allowing four hits over 5.0 innings of work.

The Sabre bates then came alive in the second game of the day scoring runs in four of the five innings against Mount St. Mary.  Rodriguez opened the scoring once again with an RBI single in the second only to have Mount St. Mary score an equalizer in the bottom half.  Rodriguez gave Marian the lead for good in the top of the third opening a four-run inning with a two-RBI single.  Freshman Rachel Mereness also drove in a run in the inning.  

Marian added to their lead in the fourth with senior Lindsey Strainis and sophomore Peyton Loesch driving in runs.  Junior Gianna Esposito closed out the scoring for Marian with a two-RBI single in the fifth to secure the mercy-rule win.

The top three Marian hitters went on to finish a combined 6-9 with five runs scored and three driven in.  Rodriguez closed out her day with another multi-hit game going 2-3 with three driven in.

Sophomore Myranda Schuttenhelm went the distance to earn the win in the circle scattering three hits over 5.0 innings.

Marian takes on Western New England at 1:15 p.m. (CDT) and Endicott at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, Sunday, March 17, from the Osceola Softball Complex.