(KISSIMMEE, FL)--Mount Union College's softball team opened the 2009 season with a 6-2 win over the University of St. Franics (IN) and a 6-4 win against Defiance College Sunday at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, FL.
The Raiders took advantage of three St. Francis errors to plate four unearned runs and got a strong pitching performance from freshman Bre Willis (Navarre/Fairless) to get the 6-2 win.
Willis spread out nine hits over the first six innings and struck out one to get the win in her first collegiate start. Kellie Schmucker (Louisville/Marlington) worked a scoreless seventh for her first save of the season.
Mount Union would get things started with three runs in the second inning and another in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
St. Francis would come back with a pair of runs in the fourth and could have got closer but the rally was ended when a ball hit to freshman left fielder Ashley Henriques (Canton/GlenOak) was relayed to Anna Horning (Cuyahoga Falls/Woodridge), who threw into catcher Mara Palombaro (Boardman/Cardinal Mooney), who took a shot at the plate but hung on for the third out.
Horning would add some insurance in the top of the seventh with a two-run home run to left-center field.
Horning was at again in the game against Defiance as she drove in another run on two hits and Alex Lucak (Maple Heights Trinity) was 3-for-3 with three RBI in a 6-4 victory against Defiance.
Devon Butler (Loudonville/Loudonville) struck out seven and went the distance for the complete game victory.
Mount Union will play games Monday against Coe (IA) College (1 p.m.) and Lake Forest (IL) College (5 p.m.). There will be a LIVE broadcast and stats of the Lake Forest game.
