FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Martin Luther College softball team was unable to overcome poor starts in both its games on Sunday in losses to Rockford (10-5) and SUNY Canton (8-6).

Rockford 10, MLC 5

Rockford scored seven runs in the first two innings as the Knights dropped the opener 10-5.

The Regents batted around and scored five times in the first inning, and then added two more runs in the second frame to take an early 7-1 lead. MLC got on the board in the top of the second inning on an RBI-single from Rebecca Doering, and then added two runs the following inning on an Elena Hoffman solo home run and RBI-single from Samantha Schoch.

The Knights tried to rally late following a two-run single by Hoffman in the sixth inning, but the Regents padded their lead with two runs in the fourth and one more in the sixth inning on the way to the win.

Rebecca Pruss (1-3) went the distance on the mound for MLC, allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on 12 hits. Hoffman, Doering and Kelsey Birschbach each recorded two hits at the plate.

SUNY Canton 8, MLC 6

MLC rallied late, but was unable to overcome an early seven-run deficit in an 8-6 loss to SUNY Canton in game two.

The Roos took advantage of several MLC defensive miscues on the way to five unearned runs in the first two innings, and then added two more runs in the top of the third inning to take a 7-0 lead.

The Knights pushed back in the third and fourth innings, scoring three runs in each frame to cut the deficit to 7-6. Brittany Denn started the scoring with an RBI-triple in the third inning, and then smashed a three-run home run in the fourth inning to bring MLC within one run.

That would be as close as the Knights would get, however, as SUNY Canton tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning and held MLC off the board the rest of the way to claim the win.

Morgan Palubicki (1-3) allowed all eight runs in a complete game effort, but only three were earned on 10 hits. Hoffman and Doering each recorded three hits, while Denn finished with two hits and four runs batted in.

MLC fell to 2-6 on the season following the two defeats. The Knights will finish their Florida trip tomorrow (Monday, March 9) when they take on Curry College (9 a.m.) and Anna Maria (11 a.m.).