Titusville, Fla. - The University of Findlay softball team opened its spring break trip to Florida on Sunday, March 1, with a split doubleheader against St. Cloud State and Southern New Hampshire. With the results, Findlay improves to 6-1 on the season. 

Game 1 vs. St. Cloud State (W 2-0)
Findlay started the day securing an impressive 2-0 shutout victory over St. Cloud State University in the first game of a doubleheader.  The Huskies, who entered the contest with 11 wins, suffered just their second loss of the year to fall to 11-2.

The story of the game was the dominant pitching performance by the Oilers against a solid St. Cloud State lineup. Starting pitcher, senior Alexys Antal (2-1), was terrific, tossing 6.1 scoreless innings and scattering just three hits and one walk while keeping the Huskies off the board.

St. Cloud State threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning, putting two runners on base, but senior Kayla Dykin entered the game in relief and slammed the door. Dykin earned her second save of the season, striking out the only two batters she faced to preserve the shutout and secure the win.

Offensively, sophomore Meghan Heinsman provided all the run production the Oilers would need. In the top of the third inning, Freshman Jenna Dee hit a double to left field and was subsequently brought home on an RBI single down the left-field line by Heinsman to give Findlay a 1-0 lead. In the fifth inning, Heinsman struck again, blasting an RBI double to right-center to score pinch-runner sophomore Mallory Dickey, extending the advantage to 2-0.

Heinsman finished the game a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk and two RBIs. Dee also had a solid outing, recording a double and scoring a run, while sophomore Kenzie Woods and Jenna Poulson both contributed hits for Findlay.

Game 2 vs. Southern New Hampshire (W 2-0)
Once again, Findlay used a dominant pitching performance to gain another 2-0 shutout, this time with a win over Southern New Hampshire. With the loss, the Penmen fall to 1-1 in their early season.

Findlay's pitching staff recorded another shutout, this time led by freshman starter Kaylynn Carter (2-0). Carter delivered 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out four and walking two to keep the Penmen off the scoreboard. Senior

Kayla Dykin, now with three saves in the early season, closed out the game in dominant fashion, striking out three without allowing zero hits and issuing only one walk.

Findlay struck first in the opening inning on an RBI single by freshman Jenna Dee that brought home senior Annika Bredel. Bredel had reached earlier after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a steal to set up the scoring play.Bredel later launched her first home run of the season in the fifth inning, a solo shot over the center-field fence that marked the 20th of her career — the third-most in program history — and extended Findlay's lead to 2-0, a margin they would not relinquish.

Bredel finished a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate, highlighted by her home run. Sophomore Meghan Heinsman also tallied two hits, carrying over her strong performance from the first game.

Findlay returns to action Monday, March 2 for another doubleheader, taking on Holy Family at 2:30 p.m. before a night matchup with Davenport at 7 p.m.