Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MINNEOLA, Fla. – The Roger Williams University Softball team began the 2018 season with two games down in Florida. The Hawks were downed 4-5 in eight innings by Elizabethtown College and edged 1-2 by Dominican University in the nightcap.
 
Elizabethtown struck in the first inning, with Kaitlyn Wilmer (Marietta, Pa.) bringing in Wendy Header (Ashland, Pa.) on an RBI single. The Blue Jays added another in the second inning on an RBI single to right by Brinley Schmidt (Manasquan, N.J.).
 
The Blue Jays' lead held until the fifth inning, when Roger Williams managed to tie the game up at two apiece. Amanda Boulter (Wakefield, Mass.) split the defense with a two-out RBI double to bring home Bella Malvinni (Westerly, R.I.). Haley Ledbetter (Westerly, R.I.) stepped up next to score Boulter with an RBI single, tying the game at two.
 
After a scoreless sixth and seventh, Elizabethtown took the lead in extras on a sacrifice fly by Christina Dark (Severn, Md.), then added two more on Schmidt's two-RBI single. Trailing by three, the Hawks got a sacrifice fly from Taylor Connor (North Reading, Mass.) to score Ledbetter, then followed with an RBI triple from Valerie Moran (Syosset, N.Y.) to come within one. Unfortunately for RWU, a pop-up to second end the rally and gave Elizabethtown the win.
 
Hailey Pretchel (Glenmont, N.Y.) took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) in 3.2 innings of work. Boulter was 3-for-3 in the game with a run and an RBI, while Moran was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
The second game was a pitcher's duel between Dominican's Cat Klostermann (and RWU's Rachel Wandzilak (West Islip, N.Y.). Dominican took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI from Jacadi Rivera (Plainfield, Ill.). Yet the Hawks got the run right back in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Chatowsky (North Kingstown, R.I.).
 
Wandzilak was dominant in the circle, holding the Stars to only two hits over the first six innings. She got into trouble in the bottom of the seventh, with Dominican logging a single, a double, and a walk with one out. CJ Mardirosian (Chicago, Ill.) then came through for the Stars with a liner to right for a sacrifice fly and the win.
 
Wandzilak struck out four in 6.2 inning while giving up two runs. Ledbetter was 2-for-3 while Moran and Katrina Goria (Wyckoff, N.J.) each went 1-for-3.
 
Roger Williams (0-2) will take on Delaware Valley and Catholic tomorrow.