CAPE CORAL, Fla. – The MSOE softball team erupted for 10 runs against Clark to finish off an opening day split with a 10-1 victory on the first day of its Florida Trip Wednesday.

The Raiders (1-1) downed the Cougars (4-6) in game two after falling to Newbury 5-3 in extra innings in game one.

MSOE pounded out 13 hits against Clark, scoring twice in the second and five times in the fourth. The team then pushed across three more runs in the fifth to cut the game short.

With a 2-0 lead after three innings, the Raiders batted around in the fourth. The first four hitters each reached base. junior Mikala Wendt drive in the first run with a single and freshman Kailey Smith followed two batters later with a bases-clearing triple. Freshman pitcher Sara McConnell later drove in another run with a double.

In the fifth, the Red and White took advantage of three Cougar errors in the fifth inning to make it 10-1. Smith had a two-run double in the inning to finish her day with four RBIs.

McConnell got the start and allowed just three hits and an unearned run in 4.2 innings of work. She also added a pair of hits at the plate. Freshman Callie Wightman also debuted, inducing a ground out to end the game against the only batter she faced.

Against Newbury, freshman Shannon Curtis made an auspicious collegiate debut in the circle, throwing nine innings and striking out 12. She surrendered just three hits and three earned runs, while keeping the Nighthawks (2-5) scoreless until the eighth inning.

Newbury opened the eighth by scoring an unearned run and the Raiders returned serve on an RBI single by Wendt. In the ninth, the Nighthawks struck for four runs despite just one hit and two walks to take the 5-1 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, MSOE scored twice and had runners at the corners with a chance to tie the game with two outs. Unfortunately, it ended on a ground out to the shortstop.

The Raiders continue their trip with a doubleheader Thursday morning. They open the day against Bluffton and follow with a game against Cedar Crest.