Clermont, Fla. - March 16, 2023 - The Springfield College softball team split a pair of games on Thursday as it was toppled by Simpson, 12-6, before walking off with a 3-2 victory against Franklin & Marshall. With the split, Springfield is now 7-1 on the year.  

Springfield will wrap up their time in Florida on Friday when it takes on Wisconsin-River Falls and Wisconsin Lutheran.

For the latest on Springfield College Athletics, follow the Pride on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Springfield "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market. 

Simpson 12, Springfield 6

Breannah McCann  (San Diego, Calif.), Amelia DeRosa (Miller Place, N.Y.), and Michaela Ponticello (Gloversville, N.Y.) all had two hits in the Pride's first loss of the season.

Simpson would post five runs off four hits in the second inning to take early control of the game, but the Pride would battle back with two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth to even things up at 5-5. With two outs in the fourth, Ponticello ripped a single to score Mackenzie Doyle (Glocester, R.I.), who led off the inning with a single, before Callie Gendron(Berlin, Conn.) blasted a run-scoring base hit down the right field line. In the fifth, the Pride produced four hits and took advantage of a pair of Simpson errors to score three times, highlighted by Kristen Acocella's (Redding, Conn.), which plated Doyle to make it 5-5.  However, Simpson would erupt for six runs off eight hits in the bottom of the six and would hold on for the 12-6 triumph. 

Springfield 3, Franklin & Marshall 2

Mackenzie Doyle provided the spark in the win over F&M as she delivered a pair of hits and drove in the game-winning run. After Franklin & Marshall registered three singles in the second inning to plate the first run of the game, the Pride answered with two runs in the third.  Amelia DeRosa would connect on a two-run single to center, scoring Dana Serricchio (Stamford, Conn.) and Maggie Britt (Bridgeport, Conn.).

The Diplomats would knot the game up in the fifth following a single and double to lead off the frame, as a groundout to make it a 2-2 contest.

However, in the bottom of the seventh, Kate Katsetos (Brewster, N.Y.) cracked a double to get things going and later moved over to third on a passed ball. Doyle would thenin connect on a hit in the infield and beat out the throw for the walkoff victory as Katsetos raced home.  DeRosa would earn the win in the circle as she came in to pitch the final two innings of relief, striking out three and giving up one hit.