Orlando, Fla. – The Mercyhurst softball team defeated Ashland 9-5 Saturday to finish their schedule at the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla. The Lakers fell 6-2 to Minnesota State-Mankato earlier in the afternoon. 

Mercyhurst took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning against Minnesota State-Mankato before the Mavericks answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. MSU-Mankato scored three more runs in the sixth inning for the 6-2 triumph. The Lakers scored two runs on five hits, and received a home run from freshman Jen Bower. The Mavericks' six runs resulted from five hits. Sophomore pitcher Amanda Norman (1-4) yielded three runs in five hits in five innings of work. 

Against former GLIAC rival Ashland, Mercyhurst fell behind 2-0 after two and a half innings before taking over the game with a four-run bottom half of the third inning. The Eagles cut the deficit in half with one run in the top of the fourth, but two Mercyhurst runs made it 6-3 after four frames. The Eagles fought back with two runs in the top of the fifth inning, and the Lakers pulled away with a three-run sixth inning for the 9-5 victory. Freshman pitcher Kristi Janoske earned the win, giving her a 4-1 record on the season. The Lakers scored nine runs on 11 hits, while the Eagles registered five runs on seven hits. 

The Lakers have concluded their Rebel Spring Games schedule at 5-5. They will play at the Glenville State Tournament Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15. Mercyhurst will face Salem International Friday at 10 a.m. before taking on Davis and Elkins at noon Friday.