CLERMONT, Fla. – The United States Sports University softball team earned its first wins over NCAA opponents in program history at THE Spring Games Tuesday. The Eagles opened with an 8-0 run-rule victory against Augustana (Ill.) (NCAA D-III) and followed up with a 17-7 drubbing of Colby College (NCAA D-III) in five innings.
 
USSU 8, Augustana 0 (6 Inn.)
USSU struck first with three runs in the opening inning. Kassidy (Rowdy) New walked and Aralee Beene singled before Sydney Taylor loaded the bases with a hit. Ahlexus Lackey drove in the first run on a fielder's choice, Desiree Denmark followed with an RBI walk and another run scored on a passed ball to make it 3-0.
 
The Eagles added three more in the fourth. Morgan Courtney and Irina Sanford drew walks before New delivered an RBI single. Beene followed with a sacrifice fly and Taylor added an RBI single to extend the lead to 6-0.
 
USSU capped the scoring in the sixth. New singled and scored on a triple by Beene, and Taylor brought home another run on a groundout to push the lead to 8-0.
 
New led the Eagles with two hits and three runs scored while Beene finished with two hits, including a triple, and two RBIs. Taylor added two hits and two RBIs and Lackey recorded two hits and an RBI as USSU totaled eight hits.
 
Breana Barnes (4-6) earned the win, tossing a complete-game shutout while allowing just three hits with two strikeouts.
 
The win also moved the Eagles past their total from last year, surpassing the program's seven victories from the inaugural season.
 
USSU 17, Colby College 7 (5 Inn.)
The Eagles set program records with 16 RBIs and 12 walks in the win over the Mules. USSU also matched the program-record 17 runs scored.
 
The Eagles struck early and often, scoring once in the first before adding five in the second and erupting for 11 runs in the third to take control.
 
Lackey opened the scoring with an RBI triple in the first. In the second, the Eagles drew five walks and produced four RBIs to build a 6-1 lead. After Colby responded with six runs in the bottom half, USSU answered with an 11-run third inning behind seven hits and key contributions throughout the lineup.
 
Beene led the Eagles with four RBIs, matching a program record, while going 2-for-3 with three runs scored. She also extended her hitting streak to a program-record 11 games and pushed her team-leading reached base streak to 16 games.
 
Sanford added three RBIs, a season high, while finishing with two hits. Liana Gonzalez scored a career-high three runs and Denmark recorded two hits and two RBIs.
 
The Eagles totaled 11 hits in the game, with contributions up and down the lineup.
 
In the circle, McKynzi Dawson (1-2) earned the win in relief, tossing 3.1 shutout innings with a season-high three strikeouts.
 
Up Next
USSU concludes the week at THE Spring Games with a doubleheader against No. 7 John Melvin Christian College (Winter Park) on Wednesday. The games are scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. (ET).
 
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