Clermont, FL –The Sage College's softball team travelled to Florida to open the 2015 season on its Spring Training Trip. On opening day, Sage faced Westfield State University and Manhattanville College, but dropped the pair of games to stand at 0-2 on the young season.

Against WSU, the Gators jumped out to a 2-0 lead as senior Kristen Beikirch (Brockport, NY/Brockport) lead off with a walk, stole a base and was driven in by junior Morgan Dunn (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes). Dunn scored score on an error and give the Gators the 2-0 lead headed to the bottom of the first inning.

Westfield State got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning as Julia Sullivan tripled down the right field line and was driven in by Elizabeth Ke. WSU took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and added four more in the bottom of the sixth to post an 8-2 win.

Junior pitcher Katie Kovage (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central), who was a 2014 Skyline Conference All-Star First Team honoree, took the loss after 5.2 innings of work with three strikeouts and six earned runs off nine hits. She drops to 0-1 on the young season.

Against Manhattanville, Sage jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Valiants answered right back with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Sage pulled within one run, down 5-4 in the top of the third as Kovage singled and was driven in by junior Courtney Laughlin (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes). Manhattanville tacked on three more runs in the bottom half of the third and the Gators were unable to pull closer despite a single run in the top of the fourth and two in the top of the seventh inning.

Beikirch finished 3-5 at the plate in the nightcap while Kovage was 2-3 with a double and RBI. Dunn finished with three RBIs in the action and was 2-2 with a three run homer in the top of the first to give Sage a 3-0 lead. Sophomore Katy Rimawi (Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa) added her first home run of the season with a two RBI shot in the top of the seventh inning.

Sophomore pitcher Lindsay Brace (Moriah, NY/Moriah Central) took the loss after three innings of work with four earned runs off seven hits with three strikeouts. She drops to 0-1 on the year.

The Gators will return to action on March 9 facing Oneonta State and Transylvania University in games at 1 and 3 p.m. on Monday.