ROCHESTER, Minn. - The Martin Luther College softball team opened its season with a pair of games at the Rochester Dome on Saturday. The Knights lost game one against Hamline 11-3, and then lost game two 10-1 against UW-River Falls.

Hamline 11, MLC 3

The Knights lost the season opener 11-3 to Hamline in five innings.

MLC fell behind early, as the Pipers scored 11 runs in the first three innings off MLC starting pitcher Kathryn Marquardt. 

The Knights battled back in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to cut into the deficit, but were unable to push the game further than that due to the eight-run rule.

Kelli Doell, Kayla Rosenbaum and Olivia Knudsen each finished with one hit in the game for MLC, while Rachel Haugly finished with one run batted in.

Marquardt fell to 0-1 on the season after allowing 11 runs (ten earned) on 14 hits in four innings.

UW-River Falls 10, MLC 1

The Knights were unable to slow down the UW-River Falls offense in a 10-1 loss in five innings in game two.

The Falcons jumped on top early, scoring twice in the first inning and six more times in the second off Knights' starting pitcher Amanda Schoch.

Janelle Radue scored the only run for MLC in the bottom of the second inning.

The Knights finished with five hits, led by two from Megan Lemke. Doell finished with one hit and two walks.

Schoch fell to 0-1 on the season after allowing eight runs (six earned) on 12 hits and four walks in 3.0 innings.

MLC will return to action tomorrow (Sunday, February 28) when it travels to the Rochester Dome once again, this time for games against UW-Stevens Point (10 a.m.) and UW-La Crosse (12 p.m.).