The Malone University softball team suffered a pair of defeats on Friday afternoon during its Great Midwest Athletic Conference doubleheader at Kentucky Wesleyan College.

The Panthers scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally back for a 4-3 victory in the opener.  KWC then pulled away for a 15-5 triumph in the finale.

Malone slipped to 9-7 overall and 3-3 in the G-MAC following Friday's contests while Kentucky Wesleyan improved to 9-12 and 2-2 in conference play.
 
Game One Recap
The Pioneers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning thanks to a two-out RBI single by Morgan Sampsel.  Malone tacked on another run in the top of the third.  Bailey Byers got things started with a two-out double and then raced home on a single by Serena Tucciarelli.

The Panthers knotted the scored at 2-2 in the bottom of the third on a two-run double.

Malone battled back to regain the lead in the top of the fourth as Sampsel came through again, this time with an RBI double to left center that scored Emily Betts.  A single by Nicole Ferrara moved Sampsel to third, but the Panthers managed to limit the damage by retiring the next two batters of the inning.

The Pioneers then maintained their one-run advantage until the bottom of the sixth when a Pioneer throwing error allowed the tying run to score with one out.  The Panthers followed with an RBI double to take their first lead of the afternoon at 4-3. 

KWC pitcher Autumn Grady then retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to cement the one-run victory.

Sampsel and Byers each registered two hits in the contest.

Kelsey Byers tossed six strong innings for Malone but suffered the defeat (8-2) after surrendering four runs (three earned) and striking out three.
 
Game Two Recap
The Panthers pounced on Malone early in game two, scoring 11 runs over the first three innings.

Malone fought back into the game with five runs in the top of the fourth.

Bailey Byers got the Pioneers on the scoreboard with her eighth homer of the season.  Nicole Ferrara then came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded later in the inning and delivered a bases-clearing double to left center.  A Panther throwing error brought in the Pioneers' fifth run of the frame, cutting the Panther lead to 11-5.

However, KWC answered with four more runs in the bottom of the fourth and Malone was unable to cut into the deficit once more, falling by the 15-5 final in five innings.

Up Next:
Malone will look to bounce back on Saturday as the squad travels to Nashville, Tennessee for a 12:00 pm ET doubleheader against Trevecca Nazarene University.