LEESBURG, Fla. – Madi Johnson (Sr.-Vernon Hills, Ill.) and Maddie Raske (Fr.-Tinley Park, Ill.) both had big hits in a four-run fifth inning as the Lakeland University softball team rallied to defeat Saint Joseph's (Maine) College 7-6 Friday morning as part of the Clermont Spring Games.

The Muskies also defeated Knox (Ill.) College 6-2 in their second game of the day, capping their third undefeated day in four days of play in Florida. Lakeland improved to 7-3 overall and is 7-1 over spring break with its final two games to play Saturday.

The Muskies answered a three-run top of the fifth that briefly allowed St. Joseph's (2-7 overall) to go ahead 5-3, scoring four times to retake the lead. Johnson and Raske had the big blows with both hitting two-run doubles, with Johnson's double tying the game and Raske giving Lakeland the lead for good later in the inning.

The Monks answered with a run in the sixth, but an attempt to tie the game was stopped when Sylvia Foley was cut down at home trying to score from first on a double by Lydia Goodnough, with a throw from left fielder Haylee Dodd (So.-Kenosha, Wis.) getting Foley at the plate. The Muskies would close it out in the seventh with Skylar Hall (Sr.-Negaunee, Mich.) having a rare easy inning on this day, setting St. Joseph's down 1-2-3 to end the game.

Hall pitched a complete game and earned the win after allowing 12 hits and six runs (four earned) with three strikeouts. Abby Heitman (So.-St. Francis, Wis.) also drove in two runs and went 2-for-3 at the plate, joining Johnson and Raske with two hits each. Carlie Morrow (So.-Menasha, Wis.) also went 1-for-3 and scored two runs.

Lakeland then came back to defeat Knox in its second game, staying a step ahead of the Prairie Fire most of the way after starting the game with a run in the top of the first. Johnson singled, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by Heitman to open the scoring, and the Muskies added another run in the second without a hit when Mackenzie Staudinger (Fr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) singled and later scored when Dodd reached on an error.

Knox (1-4 overall) scored single runs in the second and fourth to tie the game, but Lakeland responded with three runs in the fifth to retake control. Morrow was hit by a pitch and later came around to score on a double by Hannah Nelson (Sr.-Loves Park, Ill.), who later scored when Heitman reached on a fielder's choice.

Raske then continued her hot hitting on the trip with an RBI single to score Nyah Odekirk (Sr.-Fond du Lac, Wis.) to make it 5-2. The Muskies added one more run in the seventh as Callie Linders (Fr.-Griffith, Ind.) singled through the right side and came all the way around to score when the ball got by the right fielder and rolled to the fence.

Natalie Miller (So.-North Fond du Lac, Wis.) started and pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and two runs with four strikeouts in earning her first collegiate win. Nelson came on and pitched a scoreless final 2 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits with two strikeouts to pick up the save.

Lakeland closes out its spring break trip with two games Saturday. The Muskies take on Lawrence University at 9 a.m. Central, 10 a.m. in Florida, and then face Trinity (Conn.) College immediately following, with both games on Legends Way Field No. 2 in Clermont, Fla.