By: Sean Neidig, sports information graduate assistant

CLERMONT, Fla. – Capital University split the two games it played on Tuesday, losing a heartbreaker in the first game of the day but lighting up the scoreboard in the second and coming out on top.

Game 1 – Rose-Hulman 6, Capital 5

In the first game of the day, Capital was able to get the bats working but the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology was able to succeed in the clutch and walked off in the bottom of the seventh with a 6-5 win.

Leading 5-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Rose-Hulman grounded out to start the inning but followed that with a single. M. Routan tripled home the tying run on the next at-bat, ending Brianna Reardon's day in the circle.

G. Markison stepped to the plate after the pitching change and drilled the ball to center, scoring Routan and ending the game 6-4.

Reardon pitched 6.1 innings and allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits while striking out one.

The Crusaders got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning with two runs. Chevonne Hayslett bunted for a single that scored Alyx Slusher and Bailey Walter. Rose-Hulman quickly responded in the bottom of the first with two runs of its own, tying the game.

Slusher put Cap back on top in the top of the second with a single to left that scored Pam Vickers.

Two runs in the third for RHIT gave it a 4-3 lead but Capital again answered. Slusher recorded her second RBI of the game with a double in the fourth and Walter singled home Cory Mangen in the fifth that gave the Crusaders a 5-4 lead.

Walter, Slusher, Mangen and Erica Ogden each had two hits for Capital.

Game 2 – Capital 8, Adrian 5

In the second game, the Crusaders were able to respond from the earlier loss and some early adversity to defeat Adrian College 8-5 for the first win of the season.

Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Capital's offense exploded six runs and powered the team to its first victory of the season.

Haleigh Luce led off the inning with a walk and was replaced by Veronica Zack on the basepath. With Mangen up to bat next, the sophomore rocketed a triple to left-center field, scoring Zack. Kristen Mellott followed that with a single to center to narrow the gap further. Kelli Wright-Lovell singled and Vickers bunted for a single to load the bases and Slusher made the Bulldogs pay with a three-run double and advanced to third on the throw home that was not in time. Ogden singled Slusher home and Cap ended the inning up 8-5.

Slusher, Walter, Ogden, Luce and Mangen all recorded two hits. Sarah Franczak started the game in the circle for Capital and pitched four innings while giving up three runs (two earned) and striking out three. Reardon relieved Tatyana Cotrell and pitched the final 2.2 innings and picked up the win.

The Crusaders (1-3) are off on Wednesday but will have a rematch with Alma College on Thursday morning and will play Augustana College (Ill.) in the afternoon. The first game is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. and the second will start at 2 p.m.