Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Clearwater, Fla.--Softball split the first day of competition at the Eckerd Softball Invitational; winning the first game over Florida Southern 7-4, and dropping the second game to Saint Leo 9-5.

The Lady Hawks move to 3-3 on the season after splitting last weekend's games with Southern Arkansas and Thomas University.

In game one Shorter took the lead early with a four run first inning. Kayla Cooper walked to lead things off, and came around to score one batter later as Kendall Johnson flied out to center field. Leading by a run, Felicia Morris walked and Paige Rowland singled to bring up Megan Christensen. Christensen answered with a 3-run homerun to give Shorter a 4-0 lead.

Florida Southern scored twice in the second inning to cut the lead in half, and added a run in the third to make it a 4-3 game.

In the bottom of the third Rowland homered making it a 5-3 game and in the fifth the Lady Hawks added two insurance runs to round out the scoring. In the sixth, Florida Southern answered with a run of their own for the 7-4 final score.

Christina Ezell earned the win for Shorter; pitching the complete game, allowing four runs on six hits with fourteen strikeouts.

Shorter used a four run second inning in game two to take the lead 4-0. Rowland doubled to lead off the inning, and came around to score two batters later on a ground out from Ericka Bynum. Both, Christensen and Jackie Castaneda walked to reach base, and scored on a single from Maggie Meachum, to make it 3-0; who also scored in the inning on a double steal as Cooper took second and she came home.

Saint Leo cut the lead in half in the third, and scored seven runs in the fourth inning to earn the win. Shorter added a run in the bottom of the seventh for the 9-5 final score.

Kalei Kimbrell started the game for the Lady Hawks earning the loss, allowing eight runs on twelve hits with two strikeouts over 3.2 innings of work. Ezell entered the game in relief, going 3.1 innings while allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts.

Morris finished the day with five hits, two in game one and three in game two. Rowland chipped in with four hits, a homerun in the opener and three hits in the nightcap.

The Lady Hawks will be back in action tomorrow, as the take on Florida Tech at 11am and Lynn University at 1:30pm from Clearwater, Fla.