CLERMONT, Fla. – Competing well against a pair of quality teams, the Lakeland College softball team lost a pair of low-scoring, narrow decisions Sunday in the opening games of its spring break trip.

Nationally ranked Moravian (Pa.) College scored a 3-1 win in the Muskies' first game of the day. Lakeland then saw a late rally come up just short in a 3-2 loss to Susquehanna (Pa.) University late into the evening in Florida.

The Muskies (2-4 overall) mustered just two hits in the opener against the Greyhounds, who are ranked 21st in the NFCA NCAA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll. Lakeland still held a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning on the strength of a solo home run by Rosa Gonzalez (So.-Elwood, Ill.) in the bottom of the third.

Starting pitcher Taylor Bush (Fr.-Waukesha, Wis.) allowed just one hit through the first four innings before Moravian warmed up late. The Greyhounds recorded seven of their eight hits over the final three innings, scoring single runs in each frame, including the go-ahead run on a solo homer by Kaela Kane to lead off the sixth.

The Muskies finished with just two hits but had chances, especially early. Lakeland put runners at second and third in the first inning after Jocelyn Yeager (Jr.-Elm Grove, Wis.) was hit by a pitch, Sami Jo Williams (Jr.-Sussex, Wis.) walked and Gonzalez moved both to third with a sacrifice, but a pair of strikeouts ended the inning. The Muskies also got a runner to third in the second after Calie Delisi (So.-Oak Forest, Ill.) walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch, but she was forced out at the plate on a fielder's choice play on the infield.

Bush finished with a complete game, allowing eight hits and three earned runs with one strikeout. Delisi had the only other hit for Lakeland, which finished with four runners stranded.

In the nightcap, the Muskies trailed 3-0 heading into the seventh inning after Susquehanna scored twice in the third and one more in the fourth against Savannah Stenlund (So.-Rapid River, Mich.). Lakeland put together a rally in the top of the seventh, though, and came up just one hit short of tying the game.

Meghan Etten (Fr.-Elkhorn, Wis.) reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Gonzalez to get the Muskies on the board. Two batters later, Sarah Seaton (Fr.-Stoughton, Wis.) came off the bench to deliver a run-scoring double, with Bush coming in to score after pinch running for Gonzalez. A possible tying run was thrown out at third base, though, and the game ended on a grounder on the infield with Seaton still on second.

Stenlund tossed a complete game and allowed six hits and three runs (one earned) while fanning four. Gonzalez and Angela Tribuzio (So.-Huntley, Ill.) both had two hits each as Lakeland outhit the Crusaders 9-6.

The Muskies return to play again Monday when they face Muhlenberg (Pa.) College at noon Central time and Penn State-Brandywine at 4 p.m.