RALEIGH, N.C. – Brenna Dolan tossed 6.1 innings in her first start of the season, allowing two runs (zero earned) with three strikeouts to lead the Arcadia University softball team to a split on day one of the 2022 season, defeating Pfeiffer University 3-2 before the Knights fell in game two to Rowan by a 12-5 final on day one of the Grand Slam Triangle Classic on Saturday.
 
Arcadia is 1-1 after the first two games of the season.
 
Game one was a scoreless game until the top of the sixth when the Knights pushed across two runs. Megan Sooy started the rally with a one-out single up the middle being pinch-run for by Grace Caldwell. Megan Klose followed with a double that moved Caldwell to third. After Morgan Marchesani pinch-ran for Klose, Caldwell scored and Marchesani advanced to third on a wild pitch. Serena Goodridge then singled up the middle, bringing home Marchesani for a 2-0 lead. Goodridge the moved to second on a wild pitch, Effie Jamanis walked, and Morgan Tripodi reached on an infield single to load the bases before a passed ball advanced everybody a base and brought home Aleigha Parnell, who pinch-ran for Goodridge.
 
Pfeiffer pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth and another in the bottom of the seventh, but Juliana Presto was able to slam the door and finish off the victory.
 
Dolan earned her first win of the season with the effort while Presto earned the save, pitching the final 0.2 innings, allowing one hit.
 
Sooy (2-for-4) and Goodridge (2-for-3, one RBI) were the top offensive performers for the Knights first game of the year.
 
In game two against Rowan, Goodridge got Arcadia on the board in the bottom of the first with an RBI single that brought home Madi Costigan after she singled to lead off and moved to second when Caldwell walked with both runners advancing on a groundout.
 
The Profs took the lead with two runs in the top of the third, two in the fourth, and four in the fifth to take an 8-1 lead.
 
The Knights cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fifth when Xanthe Jamanis hit a one-out single and moved to second on a Costigan single. After a fly out, Sooy launched a three-run homer making the score 8-4.
 
Rowan increased its lead to 9-4 in the top of the sixth, and scored four more runs in the top of the seventh before Arcadia scored its fifth run in the bottom of the seventh to finish the scoring.
 
Presto suffered the loss in game two, allowing four runs on three hits across four innings with eight strikeouts and three walks. Paige Nolan threw the final three innings, allowing nine runs on nine hits.
 
Costigan (2-for-4, three runs), Sooy (2-for-3, one run scored, three RBI's), and Jamanis (2-for-3, one run) led the way at the plate for the Knights in game two.
 
Arcadia returns to the field on Saturday for games against Greensboro College at 10:00 a.m. and McDaniel College at 12:30 p.m.