CLERMONT, Fla. – The Capital University softball team split their two games on Monday down in Clermont, Florida as the team defeated Johnson & Wales (R.I.) 13-3 in six innings to open the day before falling 11-3 to Carnegie Mellon to close the day. 

Capital is now 3-1 overall. JWU fell to 0-3 after their game with the Comets, while CMU improved to 3-1 with their win over Capital. 

GAME ONE: Capital def. Johnson & Wales (R.I.), 13-3 (6 inn.)
Capital got out the gates hot in the top of the first inning as Ryanne Wilson hit a bases-clearing three-run double to get the Comets going. Emma Sweetman then followed it up with an RBI single to score Wilson to make it 4-0 after just half an inning. 
After the Wildcats scored a run in the bottom of the first, Capital added one back in the second, two in the third and one in the eighth to put them up 8-1. Those runs came courtesy of an RBI sac fly by Megan Parry, a two-RBI double by Kyleigh Kirby, and an RBI walk by Wilson. 

The Wildcats hit a two-run homer in the fifth  to cut into the Comets' lead, but Capital kept their heads and scored five runs in the top of the sixth inning to make it 13-3. The first run came via an error after a sac bunt play by Audrey Thomas, an RBI single by Emmalee Putnam, two runs via another error, and a two RBI single by Reagan Irons. 

The 13-3 lead after six was enough for Capital to escape with the win. 

Kirby, Megan Mlinaric, and Irons each had two hits, joined by Thomas, Wilson, Sweetman, Putnam, Isabel Sayre, Autumn Bridges and Susan Gray with one each. Wilson led the way with four RBIs, while Kirby and Irons each had two. 

Mlinaric pitched the entire six innings for Capital, yielding nine hits, three runs, one walk and six strikeouts. 

GAME TWO: Carnegie Mellon def. Capital, 11-3
The Comets started hot, but ultimately could not keep up with the typically quality opposition in CMU. The Comets had some good moments, getting started in the bottom of the first inning as Kyleigh Kirby led off with a solo home run to right center to make it a 1-0 game. 

In the bottom of the second inning, Capital got two more runs thanks to back-to-back RBI groundouts by Isabel Sayre and Autumn Bridges. Those runs were scored by Audrey Thomas and Emma Sweetman. 

From there on, the Tartans regrouped and tied the game on a three-run home run in the third inning. 

After that, a 3-3 game carried into the sixth before CMU socred twice to make it 5-3. They would add another six runs in the seventh to bring it to the ultimate final of 11-3. 

Of Capital's five hits, Kirby, Reagan Irons, Ryanne Wilson, Sweetman and Thomas each had one. 

Alyssa Miller started in the pitcher's circle and tossed 3.2 innings followed by Addi Parker – who ultimately was tacked with the loss – and Emmalee Putnam.  

UP NEXT
Capital will take an off day tomorrow before returning to action on Wednesday, March 4th in Florida. First the team will take on Johnson & Wales (N.C.) at 10 a.m. before playing Simmons at 12:30 p.m.