Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Malone University softball team dropped a pair of contests at Walsh University on Tuesday as the Pioneers lost the first game by the score of 5-3 and fell just short in the nightcap by an 8-7 tally.
 
With the two losses, Malone dropped to 8-10-1 overall on the season and to 0-4 in GLIAC play while Walsh improved to 15-10 overall and to 5-4 in the GLIAC.
 
In game one, a two-run first inning and a three-run fourth frame proved to be enough for the host Cavaliers, who finished with nine hits in the contest, to secure the 5-3 win over Malone.  The Pioneers managed just four hits, scoring a run in the first inning and a pair of runs in the third.
 
Second baseman Desi Hengoed collected both of the squad's two RBI's as she pocketed one in the first inning on a ground out to shortstop, scoring Alexa Holztrager, and another in the third inning on a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Mikayla Fowler.
 
With Walsh committing both of its two errors in the game in the third inning, Malone's two-run third gave the Pioneers a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.  But the Cavaliers scored the final three runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth to post the 5-3 victory.
 
Malone pitcher Stephanie Byrne suffered the loss as she tossed four innings, allowing eight hits and five runs (all earned).  With the loss, she fell to 3-5 on the season.  Jillian Coyle threw two innings of relief, giving up one hit, striking out two and allowing one walk.
 
In the nightcap, Malone posted three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-1 lead.  In that frame, after the first two Pioneers to the plate were out, Malone got its runs on a double to right center by Hengoed that scored Emily Isla and on a two-run homer by first baseman Allison Mercado that also plated Hengoed.
 
A four-run Walsh third inning and a two-run Cavalier fifth frame then gave the hosts a commanding 7-3 lead heading into the Pioneer half of the fifth.  Malone got back into the game by posting a run in the bottom of the fifth, on a solo homer by Isla, and then three runs in the sixth inning.
 
With the game tied at 7-7, Walsh got the go-ahead run and ultimate game-winner on an RBI single with two outs in the top of the seventh as Malone was then unable to move any player past first base in its final at-bat.
 
Coyle went the distance for Malone as she took the loss, allowing 10 hits over the seven innings while striking out two and walking five batters.  Coyle's record on the season slipped to 5-5.
 
Malone rapped eight hits in the contest led by two hits each from Isla and Mercado.
 
Malone will next compete in a home conference doubleheader against Hillsdale College (MI) on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m.