Rebel Games Day One: Gulls open season with a pair of losses

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Endicott softball team kicks off their 2013 season down in Kissimee, Florida at the Rebel Spring Games as the Gulls are taking on a strong crop of regional and out-of-region opponents. 

Day one of the Rebel Spring Games saw Endicott drop two games to McDaniel and Anderson (Ind.) to start the season 0-2.  The Gulls are back at it at 9:00 am and 11:00 am against Augsburg and Anderson (Ind.).

Game One: Endicott 0, McDaniel 5

The Gulls were held to just three hits by McDaniel sophomore pitcher Caroline Brehm (Hanover, Pa.) who pitched a complete game shutout with 16 of her 21 outs coming on strikeouts.  Brehm allowed a pair of singles to senior Krista Fales (Melrose, Mass.) and another hit to junior Kelley Michael (Ipswich, Mass.). 

Brehm's counterpart in the circle, Gulls junior pitcher Nell O'Connor (Harwich, Mass.), went four innings and allowed four runs, one earned, with a walk and a strikeout.  O'Connor gave way to freshman Courtney Blake (East Islip, N.Y.) who hurled three frames and gave up just one earned run. 

Offensively for McDaniel, four different players recorded RBI hits including a 2-of-4 day at the plate by right fielder Stacey Armacost (Glenville, Pa.) which included a RBI single in the fifth inning.  Senior catcher Tracy Davis (Christiansburg, Va.) scored a run and knocked a run in with a fielder's choice in the top of the first. 

Game Two: Endicott 1, Anderson (Ind.) 3

Six solid innings on the mound by sophomore pitcher Cameron Sprague (Clifton Park, N.Y.), who limited opposing hitters to three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts, was not enough as Anderson (Ind.) held the Blue and Green winless on day one.

A two-RBI single up the middle by Sami Frazier (Greenfield, Ind.) in the bottom of the first put the Gulls in an early hole.  Endicott cut into Anderon's lead in the top of the fourth on a run-scoring single by Fales which drive in Jocelyn Russo (Middletown, Conn.) who had doubled to lead off the inning.  Russo advanced to third after Jesse Bilafer (Concord, Mass.) flied out to deep right field, allowing the runner to advance to third base. 

Anderson got the run back in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI single to center by Nichole Frazier (Indianapolis, Ind.) to regain a two-run advantage.

Senior hurler Lauren Smith (New Palestine, Ind.) kept Endicott off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game as Smith went seven strong, allowing just three hits with five punch outs.