MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – Lafayette continued to battle at the Spring Games on Sunday morning, dropping a 2-1 extra-inning affair with Tennessee-Chattanooga and a 7-5 final to Hartford.
 
The Leopards' defense was ready to go despite an early start to the day. In the second, sophomore catcher Kaya Ciccone-Cozart cut down a would-be base stealer to close the inning. In the fourth, sophomore shortstop Harlie Bickett made a diving attempt in the hole that hit off her outstretched glove. The inning ended when freshman Kylee Sweet grabbed a liner from the next batter.
 
In the fifth, Kailee Sawai gave up a pair of one-out singles to put a pair of runners on. After a pop out, sophomore centerfielder Paige Sandidge scooped up a single and her strong throw to home kept Hartford from scoring. Sawai struck out Olivia Lipari to end the threat with the bases loaded.
 
The game went to extra innings, using the NCAA tiebreaker rule that places a runner on second to start the inning. For the Leopards, Kylene Gooch was that runner and immediately advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Kristen Brown came to the plate and laid down a perfect bunt that scored Gooch. A Grace Hausamann walk and Bickett bunt single loaded the bases with one out.
 
That prompted a pitching change that brought Taylor Long into the game. She retired the next two batters to leave the Leopards with a 1-0 lead.
 
Chattanooga tied the game in bottom of the eighth, scoring on a fielding error. The next batter Acelynn Sellers doubled in the game-winning run for the 2-1 final.
 
In game two, Hartford used the long ball to jump out to a 7-0 lead and the Leopards could not quite complete a comeback in a 7-5 final.
 
The Hawks recorded back-to-back home runs in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. Hartford added four more in the second inning, as Kelsey Galevich hit her second home run of the game and stretched the Hawks' lead to 7-0.
 
The Leopards got on the board in the fourth inning, scoring on a wild pitch, a first-and-third steal and a Bickett RBI-single to make it 7-3.
 
Lafayette kept nibbling at the lead, adding a run in the sixth on a Bickett sac fly that scored Marisa Powell (single), and kept threatening when the game moved to the seventh. The Leopards put runners on the corners with one out and Kaili Reitano came through with a sac fly. That was as close as the Maroon and White came, as Hartford reliever Carly Mayhood closed out the game and earned a save.
 
For the Leopards in the circle, Jacqueline Cal came on in relief of starter Morrigan Gardiner who left the game in the first. Caylee English struck out five over four innings for the win.
 
Lafayette will have Monday off from game action and will play its final two games of the spring break swing on Tuesday vs. Iowa at 9 a.m. and Iona at 11:30 a.m.