The Ursuline softball team opened its home schedule with a pair of close losses to Lake Erie College on Tuesday afternoon. The Arrows dropped game one 3-2, despite having the tying run on third with one out, and then lost in game two 4-1 with two runners on and one out in the bottom of the seventh.

In game one, Lake Erie scored twice in the top of the first on a walk and three weak base hits, and the Storm added the third run in the third inning on an RBI-double to right field. Ursuline answered quickly with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third on three singles and two hit-by-pitches, but the Arrows did leave the bases loaded and it proved to be the difference.

Ursuline did have one final chance to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the last inning as Samantha Roberts led off with a walk, stole second and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Lauren Grana. However, she was thrown out at home on an suicide squeeze attempt that was missed and left her stranded between home and third.

For the game, each team managed seven hits, with Natalie Huggins going 2-3 with a run scored. Eight of the nine hitters for the Arrows reached base either by a hit, walk, or hit by pitch.

Brittany Schnarrs pitched a tremendous game after the slow start, going seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. She struck out four and walked only one.

In game two,  Ursuline grabbed the early 1-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI-single by Huggins, that scored Roberts. Lake Erie tied the game in the top of the fourth with a run, and then scored three times in the fifth on a deep RBI-double off the wall in left.

The Arrows had their chances, including the longest foul ball of the afternoon that just missed being a home run for Nicole Schierbaum. Lake Erie out-hit Ursuline 8-7, as the top five batters of the Storm's line-up recorded seven of the hits - two each from the three, four, and five hitters.

Ursuline had two players with two hits each, Roberts and Huggins. The difference in the game, was the third inning error by the Arrows that allowed three runs to score in the inning - all unearned against Huggins.

Huggins pitched five innings, giving up four runs (one earned) on seven hits. She walked two and struck out two. Schnarrs pitched the final two innings  and allowed one hit with two strikeouts.

Ursuline will return to action tomorrow, hosting Wheeling Jesuit for two games, starting at 3:30 p.m. in Pepper Pike, Ohio. The games will be broadcast live on the UC Sports Network.