Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Misericordia University softball team lost a pair of close games, Tuesday in Clermont, Florida at Foundations Academy.

MU fell to Simmons, 7-6, in eight innings and to Saint Mary's, 8-7 in seven innings.

Against Simmons, Melissa Parker scorched a double into center field to score Lori Brennan in the third and then Abby Marzzacco scored on an error to give MU a 2-1 lead through five innings.

Simmons responded to tie the game in the sixth at 2-2 before they ripped off five runs in the eighth to give themselves a 7-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Brennan started on second, and another Parker double gave MU runners at second and third with no outs.

Two batters later Jessica Pluta singled, scoring Brennan and moving Parker to third.

Caitlin Kennedy knocked in Parker with a single and then two batters later Diana Kestenbaum walked to score Pluta and make it 7-5 with one out.

Melanie Quintanilla smashed a line drive to left field which the leftfielder caught but allowed Kennedy to score from third, making it 7-6 Simmons.

Marzzacco grounded out to second to end the game.

Jordan Hoffman went 7.1 innings, allowed six hits, one earned run while striking out five.

Parker when 3-4 with double while Kennedy went 2-4 with an RBI.

MU would mount another big comeback against St Mary's too.

The Cougars got on the board first in the top of the second off a shot to leftfield by Kennedy that gave MU a 1-0 lead.

A few batters later Quintanilla singled to left, scoring Kestenbaum.

The Rattlers responded with a big inning of their own, scoring four runs in the second and then one more in third to give them a 5-2 lead but MU wasn't done scoring yet.

Quintanilla singled again, this time to right field, to drive in Pluta and then a few batters later Mackenzie Yurko scored on a wild pitch.

In the fifth, Kestenbaum ripped a triple down the right field line to score Kennedy and Whitney Ellenberg; then Yurko drove in Kestenbaum with a single to center giving MU a 7-5 lead.

St. Mary's got one back in fifth before they scored two unearned runs in the six to give themselves an 8-7 lead they didn't relinquish.

Kennedy went 2-4 with a homerun, Kestenbaum went 1-3 with a triple, a walk and two RBI's.

Bailee Schies went six innings, conceded nine hits and four earned runs. Schies has gone the distance in every game she has started so far this season.

MU returns to the diamond Thursday to play PSU-Behrend at 9:00 a.m. and Alvernia at 11:00 a.m.