FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Rockford University softball team split its first two games of the season on Saturday, defeating SUNY Potsdam 11-0 in six innings and then falling 1-0 to Bethany College. Rockford scored in five of the six innings against the Bears, including a five-run sixth to salt away the victory. Starting pitcher Mariah Martinez was absolutely brilliant inside the circle. Martinez allowed no runs and just two hits, while striking out five in her five innings of work. The Regents actually out-hit the Bison in game two despite not scoring a run. The Regents stranded at least one runner in each of the first six innings, including leaving a runner in scoring position in three of them. Rockford pitchers Bella Lima and Kariana Williams were also excellent today, as the pair combined to allow just one run and five hits.


Rockford 11 SUNY Potsdam 0 (6 Innings)

• Rockford took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first despite not recording a hit. Jocelyn Callahan opened the season with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a groundout and then scored on a wild pitch. 
• The score remained unchanged until the Regents added single runs in both the third and fourth innings.
• Jocelyn Callahan again worked her magic in the third. Callahan got things started with a one-out single back up the middle, and then stole second to put herself in scoring position. Two batters later, Bella Lima came through with a clutch two-out RBI single to right to make it a 2-0 Rockford lead.
• The Regents took advantage of a pair of Potsdam errors in the top of the fourth to extend their lead to 3-0.
• Rockford was then able to break things open with a three-run fifth. The first run came on a perfectly executed first and third double steal by Bella Lima and Chayton Krueger. The Regents final two runs of the inning came on RBI walks by Makayla Howard and Lauren Zielinski. 
• Rockford then put the game out of reach with five runs off just one hit in the top of the sixth. The Regents' lone hit was a 2-run single by Emily Down with the bases loaded. Rockford also capitalized on three walks, two more Bear errors and a wild pitch en route to the 11-0 win.
• Inside the circle it was the combination of Mariah Martinez and Kariana Williams who tossed Rockford's first shutout in nearly a year. Martinez struck out the side to begin the season and retired ten straight batters between the second and fifth innings. Williams then came in and fanned the first and last hitters she faced in her one inning of work.

Bethany 1 Rockford 0

• The lone run in this game came in the bottom of the first inning. After Rockford retired the first two batters of the game, the Bison laced back-to-back doubles into right and took a 1-0 lead. 
• Rockford had chances to score a run in both the second and third innings. Enedy Perez and Jocelyn Callahan each smacked one-out doubles in their respective frames. Unfortunately, the Regents were unable to scratch a run across either time and the game remained 1-0. 
• The Regents had another scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth. Jocelyn Callahan and Michaela Froehlich roped back-to-back singles into left field to put runners on first and second with just one out. However, the Regents were a victim of a bit of bad luck, as the very next batter crushed a line drive that was snagged by the Bison first baseman, who proceeded to stop on first for the double play to end the threat. 
• Rockford's final two base runners came in the fifth and sixth innings. The Regents got leadoff singles from Kieran Madigan and Emily Down, but unfortunately, could not advance either runner. 
• It looked as though the Bison may put the game out of reach in the bottom of the sixth after a leadoff double, a walk and a double steal put runners on second and third with no one out. However, Kariana Williams settled down and got the next batter to pop out to second. Williams then induced a flyout to Bella Lima in center, who proceeded to gun down the runner trying to tag from third, to complete the double play and end the inning. 
• Unfortunately, the Regents went down in order in the seventh and dropped their second game of the season 1-0. 

SUNY Potsdam

• Mariah Martinez threw 5 shutout innings. She allowed just 2 hits and struck out 5.
• Kariana Williams did not allow a run or a hit and struck out 2 in her one inning of work.
• Emily Down went 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. 
• Kariana Williams was 2-for-4 with 3 runs scored. 
• Jocelyn Callahan finished 1-for-2 with 2 walks, 3 runs scored and stole 3 bases. 

Bethany 

• Bella Lima tossed 4 innings in her first start of the year. Lima allowed just 1 run and 3 hits, while striking out 2 batters.
• Kariana Williams threw 2 shutout innings, allowing just 2 hits.
• Jocelyn Callahan was 1-for-4 with a double.
• Enedy Perez went 1-for-3 with a double.

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