CLERMONT, Fla. - The Shippensburg University softball team could not sustain a three-run lead against Bentley as the Falcons' five-run fifth resulted in 6-3 loss for the Lady Raiders on Saturday night at the National Training Center. It was the third loss as many games for the Lady Raiders on Saturday.

Shippensburg (5-5) took the lead in the bottom of the first after senior Liz Good tripled to deep right center and then scored on an RBI-double from senior Amanda Bardo.

With two on and two out, freshman Courtney Steele crushed a double into left center that scored junior Lori Knopf and freshman Hope Cornell to give the Lady Raiders a 3-0 lead.

Bentley (1-0) countered with an RBI-single from Jenna Crowell in the top of the second before mounting a five-run rally in the fifth inning that led the Falcons to their first victory of the year in their season opener.

The Falcons loaded the bases with no outs on two singles, an error and an RBI-single from Alex Hitchcock that chased senior Jill Kirby. Knopf came replaced Kirby and struck out the first batter she faced, but then allowed a bases-clearing triple to Briana Kneeland that turned the tide in favor of Bentley, giving the Falcons a two-run lead.

A double from Ashley DeRosa pushed the lead to 6-3 in favor of Bentley where it would remain as the Falcons held Shippensburg scoreless in the sixth and seventh.

For the Lady Raiders, Steele finished the day with a home run and three RBIs while freshman Jill Mullan was 2-for-4.

Kirby struck out four in four innings of work and has not allowed a walk in her last nine innings pitched.

Shippensburg will return to action tomorrow morning with an early wake-up call following the switch to daylight savings with a 9:00 a.m., contest with Ferris State at the Osceola County Complex. The Lady Raiders will then take on Indianapolis at 11:00 a.m.

Shippensburg beat the Greyhounds in the Catawba College Invitational back on March 1, 6-3. Meanwhile, Ferris State is receiving votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Coaches' Poll.

- Lady Raider Softball -