KISSIMMEE, Fla. - It was a good start to the season for the Trine University softball team as they split a pair of games on the first day at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida. The Thunder fell to #6 SUNY Cortland 4-3 in the first game and took down Westminster (PA) 7-1 in the second.

In their first game of the year, the Thunder took Cortland, a 2011 World Series participant, right down to the wire.

The Thunder got on the board first in the top of the third with an RBI single by freshman Leah Hall (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) to score freshman Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) and sophomore Jamie Lydick (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield). After Hall was thrown out on the play trying to advance to third, junior Andi Gasco (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) knocked the Thunder's first home run of the season over the right-centerfield wall.

In the bottom of the inning, the Red Dragons would answer with a two-run double after two of the first three batters had walked. Trine was able to keep Cortland at bay until the sixth inning when with one out, the Red Dragons hit what would be the game-winning home run with a runner on.

The Thunder were threatening in the top of the seventh as Lydick singled up the middle with one out. After senior Kelly Tresick walked, Trine was unable to score the runners as the final two outs were made.

Gasco went six innings on the mound, allowing four earned runs on five hits and striking out six Red Dragon batters and walking five.

Hall went 2-for-4 in her collegiate debut leading the Thunder with two RBI's. Gasco also had two hits at the dish going 2-for-3.

In game two, the Thunder dominated Westminster (PA) from the start winning 7-1 behind a stellar performance from freshman Bree Fuller (Hubbardston, Mich./Fulton) in the circle. Fuller was just four outs away from a no-hitter when she surrendered her first hit of the game, a single up the middle, to Westminster's Katie Hughes.

Trine took an early lead in the first after Tresick singled to lead off the inning, stole second, and scored on a single up the middle by Searles. Trine would add on another run in the second after junior Lauren Harris (Uniontown, Ohio/Hoover) reached on an error. Sophomore Jillian Craig (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) pinch-ran for Harris and scored on a double right-center by sophomore Haleigh Daniels (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton).

The Thunder would break things open in the third picking up three more runs. Tresick led off the inning with a walk, stole second and Searles would again knock her in, this time with a triple to left-center. Not to be out-done, Hall would follow that with a triple of her own to right-center scoring Searles. Yet another freshman, Tori Cuebas (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield), would score Hall with a single through the right side for her first collegiate hit.

Westminster would score their only run in the fifth inning despite not having a hit in the inning. After a leadoff walk and two groundouts, the Titans would get a run on a Trine error.

Trine would finish off the scoring in the bottom of the sixth as they plated two more runs, coming with two outs.

After the first two batters got out, junior Jamie Lydick singled to left field and sophomore Paxton Fleming (Boulder City, Nev./Boulder City) pinch-hit for Tresick and also singled to left. After Searles was hit on the first pitch, Hall once again came through for the Thunder delivering a two-run single to right field.

Fuller finished her first collegiate outing allowing just one unearned run on three hits, striking out seven and walking four.

Hall and Searles led the Thunder in game two as both picked up a pair of hits. Hall finished the second game going 2-for-4 with three RBI's while Searles was 2-for-3 with two RBI's. Tresick led the Thunder with two runs scored and two stolen bases. Eight of the Trine starters recorded a hit in the game.

Trine will be back in action when they take on Muskingum at 1:00 p.m. and Thomas More at 3:00 p.m.