Stephenie Little

Rylee Bouillion

The College of Wooster softball team took to Florida to open the 2017 campaign, battling against nationally-ranked competitors along the way as part of a 16-games-in-two-weeks stretch, with the Fighting Scots concluding Spring Break competition on Thursday, March 23 at Clermont, Fla.

The Scots (6-10) opened up the second of their two-week Spring Break slate with a one-run loss to Washington & Jefferson College (1-7) on Sunday, March 19.

Junior Maddy Chase pitched four innings of one-run ball with four hits allowed, striking out two with no walks. Heading scoreless into the bottom of the fourth, W&J's Brooke Lapia hit a one-out solo home run – the lone run of the game for either side – to earn the Presidents their first win of the season.

Senior Jenna Kendall got her second win of the season later that day against Knox College (0-6), as the Scots put out the Praire Fire 8-0 in five innings. Kendall struck out six – including striking out the side in third – while Chase went a perfect 3-for-3 at the place, driving in four to go along with two runs of her own.

Five other Scots recorded a hit in the outing, including first-years Marina Roski and Samantha Tromba, both of whom tallied a RBI. Of note, the Scots forced Knox into three double plays.

Speaking of double, Wooster double-downed the following morning with a 5-3 win over Loras College (10-2) on March 20. A three-run double from Kendall comforted Chase at the circle, who pitched four innings of one-run ball to go along with four strikeouts.

Kendall took over in the fifth during what was a 3-1 Wooster lead to earn the save as the Scots tacked on two more with sophomore Bridget Serrurier and senior Rylee Bouillion coming across home plate.

In the nightcap against No. 5 Luther College (13-2), the Scots fell 10-2 in five innings. Both Kendall and Bouillion made appearances in the circle, with the senior earning the start before stepping off after three innings.

First-year Morgan Bailey got the Scots on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly that scored Kendall after opening the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff double, followed by a RBI from Chase.

After a rest day, the Scots returned to the diamond on March 22 against No. 14 University of Wis.-Eau Claire (14-2), with Wooster falling 9-4.

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the first, the Scots answered with two runs of their own, both coming off the bat of senior Stephenie Little after a single to left field. Eau Claire tied it in the second before a three-run third gave the Blugolds the lead for good.

In that game, the Scots totaled 12 hits, led by Chase (3-for-4), Bouilion (2-for-3) and Little (2-for-3). Chase, Litter and first-year Taryn Kohlman all knocked in a RBI each.

In one of the most exciting games of the season thus far, the Scots took on the University of Wis.-Oshkosh (12-4) later that evening, going up 3-1 after the first behind a 2 RBI single from senior Linea Brouse.

Later on, tied 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded, Little brought in the winning run on a one-out single up the middle to score Kohlman, who got on with a leadoff bunt before advancing to second on a single from Chase and to third on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Chelsea Copley.

Oshkosh avenged the loss the following morning, topping the Scots 6-2. The Titans scored four runs in the third inning, three of which were unearned. Down 6-0 after five, Copley singled to left center before being brought in by a right-field double from Roski. The first-year eventually scored on a single from Brouse, but the buck stopped there for the Scots as Oshkosh retired the next five batters faced to secure the equalizer.

In the trip finale against Buena Vista University (9-5), a six-run fifth inning put the Beavers in a winning position after holding a one-run lead through four and half innings.

Chase pitched three innings of one-run ball before handing the reins to Bouillion in the fourth. Two of Buena's six fifth-inning runs were unearned, and the Scots couldn't mount the comeback as they finished their Southern excursion with a 6-10 record.

Up next, the Scots make their home debut against the University of Mount Union (6-8) on Thursday, March 30 at 3:30 p.m.