Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team split its opening day games today, falling to Coe College, 4-3, before topping The College of New Jersey, 10-3. With the split the Engineers open the season 1-1, while the Kohawks improve to 9-1 and the Lions drop to 0-1.

In game one, the Kohawks struck in the bottom of the first, as Nicole Gentile (Martinez, CA/Alhambra) doubled, stole third and scored on an error. Brianna Gardner (xxx) then came around to score on a single by D. Schlotterbeck (Central City, IA/Central City).

Rensselaer answered with a run in the top of the third, when freshman Morgan Kollmeier (Kennett, PA/Kennett) drove home starting pitcher Kristina Weltzin (Commerce Town, MI/Walled Lake Northern) from second on an opposite field double to the gap in left.

Two scoreless innings followed before Coe doubled its lead (3-1) in the sixth, on a home run by Maliah Fligg (Tiffin, IA/Clear Creek-Amana), over the fence in left.

RPI rallied in the seventh to tie the game in the top of the seventh, starting with a lead-off walk to Weltzin. Sophomore Danielle Balestrini (Lake Placid, NY/Lake Placid) followed with single through the left side of the infield to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Kollmeier delivered a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up, before junior Jocilyn Rudisill (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) came through with two-run single to center, tying the game at 3-3.

Coe wasted no time in the bottom of the seventh, as catcher Abby Flannagan (Manchester, IA/West Delaware) doubled sharply to left center. A sacrifice bunt moved her to third, before Emily Grell (Fort Dodge, IA/Fort Dodge) drove in the winning run with a single.

Weltzin (0-1) took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits. She stuck out for and walked four. Reliever Maddison Woodruff (Emmetsburg, IA/Emmetsburg) earned the victory for the Kohawks, allowing a run on two hits in 1.0 inning.

In game two, TCNJ took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, when Nicole Brodbeck (Atco, NJ/Hammonton) reached on an error, allowing Lindsey Williams (Roxbury, NJ/Roxbury) to score from third.

The Engineers fought back with a three-run top of the third, highlighted by a two-run triple off the bat of junior Jena Servidone (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia). The Lions drew to within one (3-2) with a squeeze bunt in the bottom of the fourth.

Rensselaer then blew the game open with a six-run top of the fifth, in which 11 batters came to the plate. The frame included just two hits, three walks and three TCNJ errors. Rudisill walked in a run with the bases loaded for the lone RBI in the inning.

Rudisill came through with a run-scoring groundout in the top of the seventh, before Jamie Purcell (Nutley, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) capped the scoring with an RBI base hit in the bottom half.

Sophomore Victoria Hepworth (Chester, MA/Holyoke) picked up her first win of the spring surrendering two runs (1 earned) on four hits in 4.0 innings. She struck out two and did not walk a batter. Weltzin came on for the final 3.0 innings to earn the save.

Ashtin Helmer (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) allowed three runs (2 earned) in 3.0 innings, before giving way to Alex Carisone (Branchburg, NJ/Rutgers Prep), who allowed seven unearned runs in 4.0 inning of relief.

The Engineers are back in action tomorrow, when they take on Manhattanville (9am) and Anna Maria (11am).