MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Flagler College softball team split its season opener on Saturday at the FIT/Marriott Kickoff Classic at Melbourne High School. Flagler lost the opener to Palm Beach Atlantic University 5-3, but salvaged the split by defeating Texas Woman's University 10-5.

In the opener, the Sailfish scored two runs in the second, but the Saints plated a run in the bottom of the fourth. Hannah Hudson reached first on an infield single, stole second base and took third on Garland Evans' single to right. Kayla Fuller followed by reaching first on a fielding error by the shortstop, which allowed Hudson to score.

PBA scored a pair of unearned runs in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Victoria Gonzalez hit a lead-off single to right. Kayla Knight followed with a single up the middle and came around to score due to a throwing error by the Flagler third baseman, Hannah Hudson. Gonzalez scored on the play.

Palm Beach Atlantic's pitcher Nikki Brinegar (1-0) only got into trouble in two innings, with the seventh inning costing her a potential complete game. She allowed a lead-off walk, but got the next two batters out. Tori Volz singled through the right side of the infield which drove home Mallory Allen and Malloree Escue singled up the middle, but the ball was misplayed by the PBA center fielder which allowed Volz to come around and score and Escue took third. Down 5-3 with two outs, Amber Johnson came on and got Mackenzie Conley to pop up to second base to end the game.

Brinegar tossed 6.2 innings, scattered six hits and allowed one earned run. She fanned four. Johnson picked up the save.

Knight had a pair of singles for PBA.

Haleigh Corbally (0-1) tossed five innings, allowed six hits and one earned run. Tinsley Smith finished the last two innings.

Whitney Woodard and Mallory Allen had the other singles for the Saints.

In the second game, Flagler scored six unearned runs in the sixth inning to break a 4-all tie. The Pioneers committed three consecutive errors to aid the Saints attack.

The frame started off innocent enough with a lead-off walk to Evans. Fuller tried to sacrifice her over to second, but the first baseman booted the ball and everyone was safe. Allen followed suit, reaching on a fielding error by the first baseman on a bunt, which allowed Evans to score and Fuller to reach third. Allen advanced to second on the miscue. Keeley Murray was up next and she reached on an error by the right fielder and Fuller scored and pinch runner Brielle Dougherty reached third. Woodard and Escue both added RBI-singles and then Hannah Hudson capped the inning with a two-run base hit.

Callie Reed (1-0) tossed five innings to earn the win for the Saints. She scattered seven hits, allowed two earned runs and induced eight fly outs and five ground outs in her debut. Katelynn Smith pitched two innings to close the game.

Conley socked her first home run of the season, a solo shot in the third. Woodard collected two singles, scored two runs and drove in a run. Escue singled twice, scored two runs and knocked in a run. Hannah Hudson went 1-for-3 with three runs batted in.

Tori Brice (0-2) was the hard-luck loser for the Pioneers. In six innings, she allowed eight hits and just four earned runs. Brice did walk four batters.

Nicole Nordie singled twice while Amanda Gray with an RBI-double in the fourth inning.

Flagler takes on the host school, 14^th-ranked (NFCA Division II Top 25) Florida Tech, tomorrow (Jan. 31) at 9 a.m. at Dr. Nancy Bottge Field. Flagler will close out the tournament with Mars Hill University at 11:30 a.m.