The Valpo softball team suffered a pair of losses on Saturday at THE Spring Games in Longwood, Fla., falling 10-4 to North Carolina A&T before dropping a one-run decision to Longwood, 4-3.

How It Happened – North Carolina A&T

• Valpo opened the scoring in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit, loading the bases on a pair of hit by pitches and a walk. Sophomore Taylor Herschbach (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) then worked a full-count walk to force home freshman Ryan Milkowski (Olathe, Kan./Olathe West) with the game’s first run.
• The lead doubled in the bottom of the second when sophomore Jaina Westphal (Waterford, Wis./Burlington) connected on an inside-the-park home run.
• Freshman Lauren Kehlenbrink (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway South) crossed the plate thanks to a North Carolina A&T error in the bottom of the third to push the lead to 3-0.
• North Carolina A&T claimed the lead as it scored six runs on five hits in the fifth inning. The Aggies then added four more runs in the seventh inning.
• Junior Kelsie Packard (Beloit, Wis./Turner [Rock Valley]) connected on her first career home run in the bottom of the seventh to cap the scoring.

How It Happened – Longwood

• The Lancers put three runs on the board in the top of the second on two hits and two Valpo errors to jump out to a 3-0 advantage.
• Valpo sliced two runs off the deficit in the bottom of the third, as sophomore Peyton Moeder (Shawnee, Kan./Mill Valley) and Milkowski recorded back-to-back two-out base hits before both coming around to score on a Longwood error.
• A solo home run from senior Morgan Matalin (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) with one out in the fifth tied the game at 3-3.
• The game was tied heading into the seventh before the Lancers took the lead with an unearned run with two outs in the frame. Valpo went down in order in the bottom of the frame.

Inside the Games

• Moeder combined for three hits over the two games to lead the Valpo offense on the day, while Kehlenbrink had a multi-hit game against North Carolina A&T.
• Herschbach drew three walks in the opener against the Aggies.
• Valpo went just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position over the two games.
• Freshman Easton Seib (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs South) took the loss against North Carolina A&T, falling to 3-2 on the year after surrendering four runs in 4.1 innings. Senior Jenna Edwards (Winchester, Ky./George Rogers Clark [Chattanooga State C.C.]) was charged with the hard-luck loss versus Longwood despite giving up just a sole unearned run and striking out seven in 5.2 innings out of the bullpen.

Next Up

Valpo (8-10) closes out its spring break trip on Sunday morning with a single game against former Horizon League foe Cleveland State.