Malone vs. Walsh Box Score  |  Malone vs. Findlay Box Score

The Malone University softball team dropped games to Walsh University and the University of Findlay on Tuesday at the Smash Hit Tournament in Hardeeville, South Carolina.  The Pioneers opened their third day of spring-break competition by enduring a 12-1 loss to the Cavaliers in six innings.  The Oilers then rallied back from an early 6-1 deficit to record a 10-6 victory in the finale.

The Pioneers' record fell to 1-4 following Tuesday's games.  Walsh improved to 3-0 while Findlay's overall mark now stands at 2-3.

Four Malone errors led to a total of 10 unearned runs for Walsh in the first game of the day.  The Cavaliers jumped out to a 5-0 advantage with four runs in the top of the first and one run in the top of the second.  Walsh then put the game away with a five-run outburst in the top of the sixth inning.  The Pioneers put runners on base in every inning except the first.  However, Malone's only score came in the bottom of the second when catcher Jessi Crain was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Shortstop Kristen Atzenhoefer posted two of Malone's four hits with a leadoff single in the second inning and a two-out double in the third.  Shelby Snyder pitched all six innings for the Pioneers, suffering her second loss of the year.

In the second contest of the day, Malone put three runs on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning.  After a Findlay error allowed the first Pioneer run to score, freshman second baseman Desi Givens delivered her first career home run, a two-out,  two-run drive over the outfield fence.  The Oilers got one run back in the bottom of the first inning before RBI singles by Malone centerfielder Megan Lane and first baseman Lauren Hershberger helped the Pioneers push their advantage to 6-1 at the end of the third.  

A three-run homer pulled Findlay to within 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth.  Another three-run blast coupled with two Malone errors allowed the Oilers to grab a 10-6 lead in the bottom of the fith and the Pioneers were unable to recover.

In addition to her first-inning homer, Givens also added a third-inning single, finishing the game with two hits, two runs scored and two runs driven in.  Pitcher Nicol Chesley suffered the loss (1-2) after surrendering the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Malone will wrap up its spring-break trip on Wednesday with two more Smash Hit games.  The Pioneers will face off with Findlay at 10:00 a.m. before taking on Milligan (TN) College (9-9 overall) at 12:00 p.m.

Live statistics and streaming video will be provided for each of Wednesday's games.  Click here for links to each.