CLERMONT, Fla. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) softball team split its third day at The Spring Games on Wednesday, bouncing back from a 15-12 setback against Carnegie Mellon with a 2-1 victory over Bethany Lutheran to close the day.

RPI erased an early deficit and surged in front behind big swings from Callista Adorno and Sydney Speanburg, but Carnegie Mellon used a decisive five-run seventh inning to pull out the win in a back-and-forth offensive battle in the days first contest.

Carnegie Mellon struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first, then added single tallies in the third and a three-run fourth to build a 6-1 advantage. Adorno put the Engineers on the board in the fourth with a solo home run to left.

RPI answered with a four-run fifth to climb back into it. Sarah Decker opened the rally with a double, Olivia Termi singled to load the bases, and Lauren Cosselman delivered an RBI single. Speanburg then reached on a fielder's choice to bring home another run before Evann McDowell's RBI single and Addison Shaffer's sacrifice fly trimmed the deficit to 6-5.

After Carnegie Mellon tacked on two unearned runs in the bottom half, RPI flipped the game with a five-run sixth. Decker was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Termi and Cosselman followed with singles, and Speanburg launched a grand slam to center to give RPI a 9-8 lead. Shaffer added an RBI double later in the frame to make it 10-8.

RPI added two more in the seventh on RBI doubles by Termi and Speanburg to extend the margin to 12-10, but Carnegie Mellon responded immediately in the bottom of the inning. After a pair of errors loaded the bases, the Tartans tied the game before ended it on Sophia Doherty's walk-off grand slam to center.

Speanburg powered the offense by going 2-for-5 with a double, home run, and a game-high five RBI, while Adorno finished with a homer and two RBI. Termi had a huge day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and three runs scored, and Cosselman went 2-for-4 with an RBI. In the circle, Gaby Heim started and Callie Volker worked in relief.

RPI responded with a strong pitching performance from Ava Markert and manufactured both runs in the bottom of the first to edge Bethany Lutheran in the afternoon's finale.

Bethany Lutheran grabbed an early lead in the top of the first as Olivia Sanborn singled, stole second, moved to third, and scored on Carly Nelson's RBI single up the middle. Markert settled in from there, working out of multiple threats as Bethany Lutheran put eight hits on the board but was held to just the one run.

RPI answered immediately with two runs in the first. Speanburg drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a wild pitch before Evann McDowell singled and later stole second to put runners at second and third. Adorno tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right, and Shaffer followed with a sacrifice fly to left to bring home McDowell for the eventual game-winner.

McDowell accounted for both of RPI's hits, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored while also swiping a bag. In the circle, Markert went the distance, allowing one run on eight hits with four strikeouts to earn the win.

RPI takes the day off tomorrow before starting action at The Spring Coast Games in Melbourne, FL on Friday.