CLERMONT, Fla. – The Lakeland University softball team staged a furious seventh-inning rally but came up just short in a 10-9 loss to Saint Mary's (Ind.) College Thursday afternoon at the PFX Spring Games.

The Muskies lost by a run in their first game of two on their fourth day of competition on their spring break trip. Lakeland then was defeated by Transylvania (Ky.) University 9-1, dropping to 2-6 on the trip and 4-8 overall this season.

The Muskies almost came all the way back from a 10-2 deficit entering the bottom of the ninth inning against Saint Mary's. Lakeland scored seven times in the bottom of the seventh, sending 12 batters to the plate and even getting the tying run to second base.

Paige Chladek (So.-Orland Park, Ill.) walked with the bases loaded to drive in a run, Calie Delisi (Sr.-Oak Forest, Ill.) singled in two runs, and then Madi Olson (So.-Eau Claire, Wis.) cleared the bases with a grand slam homer to make it a one-run game. Amber Anderson (Fr.-Chicago, Ill.) followed with a walk and got as far as second base before the Belles (10-1 overall) finally recorded the final out.

Lakeland took an early lead in the game at 1-0 when Lindsay Cudecki (So.-Chicago, Ill.) hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Jerrika McAlpine (Fr.-Escanaba, Mich.), and the Muskies tied the score back up at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Hailey Jester (Sr.-Salem, Wis.) hit a sac fly to score Meghan Etten (Jr.-Elkhorn, Wis.). Saint Mary's came back to score three in the top of the sixth, though, to take the lead, and then added five in the top of the seventh to take a big lead before Lakeland came back.

Etten had two hits and scored two runs for the Muskies and Olson also added two hits. Lakeland finished with just five hits but took advantage of 11 bases on balls.

The Muskies had a tougher time in the second game against Transylvania (9-3 overall). The Pioneers scored four times in the bottom of the first and then added two in the fourth and ended the game on the eight-run rule with three in the bottom of the sixth.

Lakeland was held to just two hits for the game and scored its only run in the second. Olson singled to open the inning and McAlpine eventually came around to score as a pinch runner when Sabrina Wickman (Fr.-Quinnesec, Mich.) reached on an error with the bases loaded.

The Muskies wrap up their Florida trip on Friday with a pair of games, first facing the University of New England at 1 p.m. Central and then taking on Fredonia State (N.Y.) University at 3:30 p.m.