Softball Drops Season Opener in Florida

CLERMONT, Fla.  –    Westfield State jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but couldn't hold on, as UMass-Dartmouth rallied past the Owls for a 5-3 win as Westfield State opened its Florida trip at Hancock Park on Sunday morning.

Westfield grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, as Lindsay Cordopatri walked, stole second and eventually came around to score on Jess Chenard's base hit down the left field line.

The Owls tacked on two more runs in the third, with Alyssa Clark flaring a double into shallow left center, scoring Cordopatri and Sarah Bingham for a 3-0 lead.

UMass Dartmouth rallied for three runs in the third to tie the game, and got a 2-run single from Hailey Lyons for the game winning runs.

Stephanie Scoville started and took the pitching loss for the Owls, who got 2.1 innings of scoreless relief from first-year Katherine Canty.

The Owls' (0-1) second game of the day, scheduled to play against Gordon College, was cancelled.

Westfield will be back in action tomorrow with a pair of games against Northwestern (Minn.) and D'Youville (N.Y.)