CLERMONT, Fla. – The Lakeland University softball team had a bumpy finish to its spring break trip, losing twice on its final day of competition at The Spring Games.

The Muskies were defeated by the University of Wisconsin-River Falls 3-1 in their first game of the day and then dropped a 6-2 decision to Augsburg (Minn.) University. Lakeland finished 3-7 on its Florida trip, including losses in its final five games.

Offensive struggles that plagued the team for much of the trip bit the Muskies again on Saturday. Lakeland stranded 18 runners over two games, including leaving 13 runners at second or third base. The Muskies put plenty of runners on board early in innings but went just 3-for-24 at the plate Saturday with runners in scoring position, capping a trip when the team averaged 3.2 runs per game, including scoring just 11 runs over its seven losses.

Lakeland and UW-River Falls (5-2 overall) were tied a good portion of the game, with the Falcons scoring in the top of the first but the Muskies answering with a run in the third when McKenzie Staudinger (So.-Manitowoc, Wis.) walked to lead off the inning and pinch runner Reyna Rupnow (So.-Ixonia, Wis.) scored on an error.

UWRF took the lead in the top of the sixth as cleanup hitter Kelly Aultman led off with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly. The Falcons added another run in the seventh on a two-out solo home run by Caitlyn Kressel. Lakeland put a runner at second with one out in the eighth and a runner at second with nobody out in the ninth, but in both cases was unable to bring in a run.

The Muskies finished with just four hits in the game, with Sydney Meyer (Jr.-Crown Point, Ind.) notching two of them and with two walks reaching bases all four times up. Natalie Ziebell (Fr.-New Holstein, Wis.) pitched a complete game and allowed seven hits and three runs with two strikeouts.

Lakeland started quickly against Augsburg with a run in the first as Carlie Morrow (Jr.-Menasha, Wis.) led off the game with a triple and Meyer followed with an RBI single. The Auggies (7-0 overall) came right back, though, with pitcher Morgan Paaske clubbing a three-run home run, and the Muskies played from behind the rest of the way.

Lakeland crawled back to within 3-2 with a run in the sixth when Lexi Howard (Fr.-Crown Point, Ind.) reached on an error to lead off the inning and Rupnow drove her in with a groundout. Augsburg would again answer the Muskies run with three of its own, though. Three straight hits to open the inning netted a pair of runs, and the Auggies took advantage of a Lakeland error for another run to make it 6-2. The Muskies had a final chance in the seventh when Meyer singled to lead off the inning, but the game concluded in frustrating fashion appropriate for the Muskies' struggles with a line drive to second base resulting in a game-ending double play.

Meyer added two more hits plus a walk in the second game to finish reaching base seven times in eight at bats for the day. Lily Pettit (Fr.-Rewey, Wis.) started and pitched the first two innings, allowing four hits and three runs with a strikeout before Melanie Watters (Sr.-Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) and Jacie Jones (Jr.-Prairie du Sac, Wis.) covered the final four innings of relief.

Paaske tossed a complete game for Augsburg, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned) with three strikeouts and three walks. Olivia Funk went 4-for-4 for the Auggies with an RBI and a run scored.

Lakeland now gets ready for Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play and is scheduled to host Aurora University next Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon.