Malone vs. USCB Box Score  |  Malone vs. Milligan Box Score

The Malone University softball team suffered a pair of defeats on Monday, its second day of spring break competition at the Smash Hit Tournament in Hardeeville, South Carolina.  The Pioneers opened the afternoon with a five-inning, 11-1 loss to the event's host, the University of South Carolina-Beaufort.  Milligan (TN) College then outlasted Malone 8-5 in Monday's finale, a hard-fought match-up that lasted eight innings.

The Pioneers' overall record slipped to 1-2 following Monday's action while USCB improved to 12-1 and Milligan climbed to 7-9.

The Sand Sharks scored in all five innings of the opener, putitng the run-rule game away with four-run outbursts in both the fourth and fifth frames.  Malone got on the scoreboard with an RBI single by second baseman Desi Givens in the bottom of the fourth inning but was unable to manufacture any additional offense.  Givens tallied two of the Pioneers' four hits in the game, ripping a one-out double in the second to go with her run-scoring single in the fourth.

Pitcher Shelby Snyder took the loss (0-1) after surrendering seven runs (five earned) on eight hits over the first four innings.

In the second game of the afternoon, Milligan held leads of 2-0 and 4-2, but the Pioneers managed to rally back each time.  Malone knotted game 2-2 in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by centerfielder Megan Lane and a sacrifice fly by leftfielder Sarah Samblanet.  Lane then came through again in the bottom of the seventh, sending the contest to extra innings after knotting the score at 4-4 on a two-out, two-run single.

With time limitations in place at the tournament, the international tiebreaker rule was implemented following the completion of the seventh inning (each team started its half of the eighth inning with a runner at second base).  The Buffaloes quickly regained control by plating four runs in the top half of the eighth.  A two-out RBI single by shortstop Lauren Hershberger trimmed the deficit to 8-5 in the bottom of the frame, but that was as close as Malone would get.

The Pioneers totaled eight hits in Monday's finale, led by Lane, who went 2-for-4 with one run scored and three RBI's.  Pitcher Stephanie Byrne started the contest, limiting Milligan to two runs on four hits over the first four innings.  Nicol Chesley then entered the game the in the top of the fifth and was saddled with the loss (1-1) after allowing six runs (only three of which were earned) on 10 hits over the final four frames.

The Pioneers will return to action at the Smash Hit Tournament on Tuesday with a pair of games against schools from the Buckeye State.  Malone will take on rival Walsh University (2-0 overall) at 2:00 p.m. before facing off with the University of Findlay (1-2 overall) at 4:00 p.m.

USCB will provide live stats (free of charge) and streaming video (for a fee) of tomorrow's games.  Click here for the links to each.