Melbourne, Fla. - The Adelphi University softball team escaped the latest blast of snow to hit the Northeast this weekend and headed down south to kick off the 2018 season at the Florida Tech Softball Classic on Sunday with a pair of single games against Saint Mary's University (Tex.) and Flagler College.

Game 1 - St. Mary's (Tex.) 3, Adelphi 1
Adelphi took the lead in its first inning of the season, as the designated road team in the neutral-site matchup. With two outs in the opening frame, the Panthers loaded the bases in short order as Brenna Martini drew a five-pitch walk, before Nicole Camera singled through the left side and Christina Rizzi took first after being hit by a pitch.

Kailah Konkel cashed in the opportunity on an 0-2 count with an infield single to third base, scoring Martini to give Adelphi a 1-0 lead. 

However, the edge for the Panthers was short-lived, as the Rattlers made Kristin Fealy pay for three walks and a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning. With one out and runners at the corners, Brenda Iparraguirre stroked a two-run double to right center to give St. Mary's (10-6) the lead for good.

Fealy nonetheless worked around several baserunners in the game to keep Adelphi in touch, as the Rattlers left 10 runners on base thanks in part to six hits and seven walks over the course of the game.

However, Staci Johns proved up to the task to keep St. Mary's ahead over six innings of work, striking out eight and allowing just four hits after the first inning. The Rattlers added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of pinch-hitter Amber Gonzales, which scored pinch-runner Angie Camacho, who came in to run for Johns after she doubled to lead off the inning.

Krista King was the lone Panther with more than one hit in the game against Johns, finishing the opener 2-for-4 at the plate in the leadoff spot. Martini went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, while Lauren O'Neill notched her first collegiate hit thanks to a fourth-inning double.

Game 2 - Flagler 7, Adelphi 2
A six-run first inning for the Saints set the tone for the second game, as two doubles and a home run were among Flager's five hits against Ally Muller in her first collegiate inning of work.

Two wild pitches, a walk and two hit batters also counted against her line in the opening inning, but with the bases loaded, Muller rung up Genevieve Mangini looking for her first college strikeout, and induced a fielder's choice off the bat of Maria Kappos to finally end the inning.

From there, the freshman hurler settled in, and allowed just one more run on five hits over the next five innings. In total, she fanned five in her first college start, while Jessica Vadala turned in a scoreless seventh frame out of the bullpen.

Adelphi broke up the shutout in the bottom of the third inning thanks to Martini, who smacked a two-run homer over the fence in right center to score Nicoletta Cuccio, who reached earlier in the inning on a one-out single to right field. 

Flager starting pitcher Ally Marcano held the Panthers to just two more hits outside of that inning - a double for Cuccio in the second and the seventh - while walking four and striking out four. In total, Adelphi stranded seven runners on base in the game

The Panthers continue their Florida swing on Tuesday, Feb. 20 with a nighttime double-header at Rollins College in Winter Park. First pitch for the opener is slated for 5 p.m. with game two to follow at 7 p.m.

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About Adelphi Athletics
Adelphi University joined the Northeast-10 Conference in the fall of 2009, and in the past eight seasons, has collected 25 regular season conference titles, 26 tournament championships, 33 individual crowns and captured the Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup four times (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017), while winning six NCAA Division II National Championships.

For the latest on Adelphi University Athletics, follow the Panthers at www.aupanthers.com or via social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat.