The Malone University softball team lost both games of a doubleheader in Jan Phyl Village, Florida, on Monday morning. They fell 8-0 to Ashland University in five innings and suffered an 8-2 loss to Lewis University.
 
The Pioneers hold a record of 0-4 this season. Ashland is now 4-3 in 2020 following the win and is 3-0 in the PFX Spring Games. Lewis is 10-5 on the year and a perfect 6-0 in the PFX Spring Games.
 
Malone vs Ashland Recap:
In the top of the first, Madison Corrick laced a double into the outfield and stole third but was unable to score after a heads up defensive play from the Eagles. Starting pitcher Kelsey Byers struck out the side in the bottom of the first inning. It is the second time already this season Byers punched out the first three hitters of the game.
 
Back-to-back singles with two away from Anissa Seese and Erika Johnson put two runners on and an error moved them both into scoring position, but the Pioneers were unable to get a run across. The bottom of the second was fatal for Malone as Ashland scored five runs, three of them coming off a double with the bases loaded by Kaitlyn Carney.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles were threatening to score again, but a 5-2 double play led to the Pioneers getting out of the jam. April Howser collected the screaming ground ball at third, touched the bag and threw home to Bailey Byers who applied the tag and finished off the twin killing.
 
Ashland scored three more runs in the fifth inning to secure the 8-0 win by run rule.
 
Malone vs Lewis Recap:
The Lewis Flyers took advantage of two Pioneer errors in the top of the first inning and scooted four runs across in the frame, highlighted by a homerun from Sara Serena. Malone put two runners on in the bottom of the first with two outs via a pair of singles from Bailey Byers and April Howser, but both were stranded.
 
Lauren Bennett and Emily Betts drew walks in the second, but were left on base as well. In the third, Bailey Byers connected for a double into fight field and April Howser followed that up with a two-run blast to center field to cut the deficit in half, 4-2.
 
A two-run homerun by Cierra Taylor and consecutive doubles later in the inning thwarted any hopes of a comeback and made the game 8-2 Lewis in the top of the fourth inning.
 
Pitcher Samantha Fruchey induced eight groundball outs in four innings before handing the ball off to Jensen Miller, who made her collegiate debut in the circle. Miller pitched three innings, surrendering only two hits and one walk, while recording one strikeout.