MELBOURNE, Fla. — Pair of close ones.
 
Narrowly falling in a 2-1 game one loss versus Florida Tech, the Flagler softball team responded in the first inning of the night cap with three runs and that is all they would need in a 3-1 victory over the in-state opponent on Nancy Bottge Field.
 
Flagler (12-6) will have the rest of the week off ahead of a Sunday home doubleheader with Queens University, beginning at 1 p.m.
 
Offense was hard to come by in the first game. NaJah Gerrald, who has a team-leading .462 batting average through 18 games, was the lone bright spot as the junior had two of the three team hits while Kyleigh Taylor had the other.
 
"NaJah is making adjustments pitch to pitch, at-bat to at-bat, and game to game," Flagler head coach Kathryn Geouge said, "which is making her extremely successful—pair that with her speed and she is a serious offensive threat."
 
The Saints' lone run came in the top of the sixth inning when Natalie Murphy reached safely on a fielding error by the shortshop, scoring Genevieve Mangini who was walked, to even the score at one. Unfortunately, the Panthers (7-9) responded in the next bottom half, which proved to be enough to steal the game from Kyra Gipson (L, 8-3) and Flagler.
 
Gerrald and the Saints snapped back in the second game as the speedy centerfield finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a walk, while Madelyn Wise (W, 4-2) continued to improve behind another complete-game performance as the freshman allowed just one run on five hits.
 
"Madelyn is improving every outing and is learning as she gains experience," Geouge said. "She is giving us a chance to win every time she steps on the mound."
 
Wise's offense gave her a cushion early and she never surrendered it, fighting through jams, including one in the seventh inning. Natalie Murphy, Maria Kappos, Morgan Murphy and Mackenzie Smith joined Gerrald's trio of hits for seven total as Kappos, Morgan Murphy and Smith were responsible for the runs batted in during the first inning.

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