CLERMONT, Fla. – Returning to the diamond after three straight weeks of canceled games, the Missouri Baptist University softball team opened its week in warm and sunny Florida with losses to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (Ind.) and Lawrence Tech University (Mich.). The Spartans dropped their opener at the PFX Spring Games to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, 5-1, followed by a 5-0 shutout by the Blue Devils of Lawrence Tech.
 
Falling to 2-4 overall, the Spartans will look to regroup on Tuesday as they meet No. 6-ranked Marian University in the 1:45 p.m. (ET) matchup and College of Saint Mary (Neb.) in the 4 p.m. (ET) matchup.
 
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College 5, Missouri Baptist University 1
It was a pitcher's duel for much of Game 1 against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. MBU starting pitcher Delissa Dennison had a hot start fanning five Pomeroys in the first five innings, while going three up, three down in the top of the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th innings.
 
Offensively, the Spartans were quiet to start the game, but found some life in the bottom half of the third. Left fielder Amber Mobbs led off with a single shortly before getting picked off at first. With two outs, Reily Kassay singled to center, but was left stranded.
 
Still scoreless after 6 and ½ frames, Missouri Baptist finally cracked the scoreboard bit of small ball. Following a Rachel Galbraith single up the middle, the Spartans got into scoring position for the first time all day with a Reily Kassay sac bunt. With just one out, Galbraith took it a step further and successfully stole third, which set up freshman MaKenzie Harbaugh for an RBI opportunity. Harbaugh delivered with a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Galbraith and give MBU a 1-0 lead.
 
The Spartans needed just three outs to seal the deal. SMWC had different plans though. The Pomeroys recorded a leadoff single and then pounced on a pair of MBU infield miscues. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods scored twice following the Spartan errors. Then in a bases-loaded situation, SWMC's Hollie Jones delivered the dagger with a 3-RBI triple to deep left-center. Just like that, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods led, 5-1, and secured the win with a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the 7^th.
 
Dennison's final stat line from the mound was 7.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB and 6 K.
 
Lawrence Tech University 5, Missouri Baptist University 0
Fresh off its first loss in nine games, Lawrence Tech was looking for a way to rebound. The Blue Devils wasted no time as they opened up the scoring in the bottom half of the first inning. LTU's Gina Barber reached base on an error and scored after two consecutive singles. A sacrifice fly one batter later pushed the Blue Devils ahead, 2-0.
 
Much like the previous inning, the Blue Devils capitalized on an error in the first at-bat. Following another MBU miscue, Lawrence Tech played its game wisely with back-to-back sac bunts to go along with a double, bunt single and 2-RBI single. LTU bumped its lead to 5-0 after two.
 
Defensively, pitcher Ally Dunaway and the Spartans buckled down the rest of the way allowing just four hits and no runs in four remaining innings. Dunaway finished the game without giving up any earned runs.
 
MBU had its best chance to ruin the Lawrence Tech shutout effort in the top of the 6^th. The Spartans' first three batters all reached base including Jordan Corby, Madalyn Bone and Rachel Galbraith. The latter reached on a bunt single. Sadly, LTU brought in reliever Faith Barden at the right time as she shut down the Spartans with three straight strikeouts and a three up, three down inning in the 7^th to protect the shutout.
 
Third baseman Tomi Dublo joined the trio from the seventh inning with a hit on an infield single.