Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLERMONT, FL- The Utica College softball team dropped both games on the opening day of the Rebel Spring Games on Sunday.  The Pioneers fell to Springfield College 6-1 and Cornell College 9-1. 
 
UC will look to rebound Monday as it takes on Lesley University at 9 a.m. and Franklin and Marshall College at 11:15 a.m.
 
Utica 1, Springfield 6- Game One final
The Pioneers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Samantha Whitehouse (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich) singled to right field to score freshman Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School).  The score remained the same until the fourth inning as Springfield plated a run to tie the score.
 
The Pride broke the game open in the fifth as it scored three more runs to take a 4-1 lead.  Springfield capped off the day with a pair of scores in the seventh inning as it moved to 2-0 on the year.
 
Sophomore Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) led UC going 2-for-2 at the plate, while Akots, Whitehouse, Nicole Sciara (Bay Shore, NY/Islip), and Kimberly Beattie (Levitton, NY/Division Ave) each had one hit.  Brittany Meka (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park) had one strikeout and gave up just two earned runs in six innings of work, while freshman Alyssa Samborin (Schenectady, New York/Mohonasen) struck out two in her first collegiate appearance.
 
Utica 1, Cornell College 9- (6 Innings) Game Two Final
Once again Utica took a 1-0 lead, this time in the second inning as an error by the third baseman drove in senior Kassidy Ogren (Albany, NY/Colonie Central).  Cornell responded with one run in the bottom of the third to even the game.  The Rams took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning as Melissa Griffin hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Stephanie Xavier.
 
Cornell took control of the game in the bottom of the sixth as it scored seven runs to come away with the run-rule victory. 
 
Ogren, Lauren Dlugolecki (Voorheesville NY/Clayton A Bouton), and Natalie Lawrence (Floral Park, NY/Floral Park) were each 1-for-2 at the plate, while Nicole Rice (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South) and Sadie Evans (Clifton Park New York/Shenendehowa) were 1-for-3.  Freshman Madison Akots (Wynantskill, NY/Emma Willard School) also picked up a hit in the fifth inning as she pinch hit in the fifth.  Dlugolecki was a force on the bases as she picked up two steals on the day. 
 
Sophomore Shannon Cool (Herkimer, NY/Herkimer) had one strikeout in 5.1 innings of work as she shouldered the loss.  Freshman Emily O'Herien (Oneida, New York/Oneida) gave up three hits in in relief in her first appearance.