WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - February 26, 2023 - Chatham Softball opened their season today with a doubleheader against Moravian and Neumann Universities at the Spring Games. The Cougars would fall 4-1 to the Greyhounds and 8-7 to the Knights.

Against Moravian, their lone run would be batted in by senior Kaitlyn Collins, who bunted to the pitcher. Graduate student Kyley Fijalkowski scored on the play. In the circle, first-year Victoria Murren took the loss, pitching all seven innings and striking out five Greyhounds.

The Cougars would start a comeback in game two against Neumann, which was 7-0 in Neumann's favor before the Purple and Gray got on the board. An error from the shortstop on a fly ball by senior Justine Boyle would allow classmate Alyssa Hoffman to score. Hoffman got on base with a right field line double before advancing on a fly ball from Fijalkowski. Boyle herself would score a few batters later thanks to Collins, whose centerfield shot scored her and graduate student Paige Shaftic.

The sixth inning was scoreless for both teams, but the seventh was notably different. Shaftic reached on an error, followed by a single from senior Mackenzie Dunn. Collins got on after being hit by a pitch, leaving the bases loaded for sophomore Isabelle Griswold. She would hit a grand slam over the right field fence, scoring four runs to bring the run deficit down to one. A line drive from Hoffman afterward was caught by the short stop, leaving the game at 8-7 in Neumann's favor.

The Cougars face Eastern University and Alma College tomorrow at 11:30 AM and 2 PM at the Diamondplex.