KISSIMEE, Fla. – Sophomore Justine Stefura went 3-for-5 in the first two games combined of the Sunkissed Games for the Centenary University softball team. The Cyclones fell to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) 13-3 and suffered a 14-4 setback to Rhodes College to open the 2018 season.

WPI Recap
WPI got on the board first with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Marrisa Gonzales delivered a two-run single for the Engineers (9-3).

WPI struck for six runs in the top of the third and extended its lead to 8-0. Gonzales doubled to center field and that drove in three runs while Ama Biney had a two-run single.

Centenary got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Courtney Deloughery singled to right center and moved to third on an error. That sequence scored seniors Sammie Darling and Raychel Piserchia, who had reached via a walk and an error. Deloughery plated the Cyclones' third run as she crossed the plate on a passed ball.

The Engineers scored five runs in the top of the fifth to secure the 13-3 win. The highlight of that five run frame was a three-run home run from RiAnna May.

Kelsey Saucier earned the win in the circle for the Engineers. She surrendered three unearned runs in 3.2 innings of work. Darling took the loss after giving up eight runs in three innings of work.

Gonzales went 2-for-3 with five RBIs for WPI.

Deloughery went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI for the Cyclones.

Rhodes Recap
Centenary struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning against Rhodes. Piserchia delivered a one-out single up the middle that scored senior Ashley Eisenstein. Deloughery then had a groundout that scored senior Carolyn Clites.

The Lynx answered with three runs in the bottom of that frame. Kirsten Samuels drove in a pair of runs with a single to center field before Anna Kula singled to shortstop to score another run.

Centenary took a 4-3 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. Stefura drove a single to center which scored freshman Suley Perez, who had reached on an error. Clites had an RBI groundout which plated freshman Tessa Ferentinos, who had also reached via an error.

Rhodes tied the game in the bottom of the second and then put 10 runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. Marisa Moore had an RBI double and a single that scored two while Jill Healy delivered a grand slam to highlight the big inning of the Lynx.

Jamie Jang earned the win in relief work for Rhodes. She gave up just one hit in two innings of work. Darling suffered her second loss of the day after giving up 10 runs in four innings of work.

Moore led Rhodes as she was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored while Samuels was 2-for-4 with four RBIs.

Stefura led Centenary at the plate as she was 3-for-3 with an RBI while Clites had a run scored and an RBI.

The Cyclones will be back in action on Monday, March 12 when they take on Marietta and Wooster in Florida.