WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Shepherd University (6-10) won a pair of games in softball action at The Spring Games in Florida on Saturday.  Shepherd handed Le Moyne a 1-0 setback in an early game and added a 3-2 triumph over Minnesota Crookston in a later contest.

Senior third baseman Nicole Purtell (Centreville, Va./Centreville) led off the sixth with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice by sophomore outfielder Chloee Burton (Maurertown, Va./Central). Graduate student infielder Leann Brown (Hume, Va./Fauquier) followed with a single to score Purtell with the game-winner. 

Sophomore pitcher Hannah Ruffner (Charles Town, W.Va./Washington) (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K, 0 BB) (2-4) gained the win. Laura Bennett (7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 0 BB) (5-4) took the loss.  

Minnesota Crookston took a 2-0 lead in the fifth on a two-run homer by Alina Avalos.

Shepherd took advantage of two errors and a walk to tie the game in the bottom of the frame.  Brown and sophomore infielder Caitlin Donnelly (Newark, Del./Padua Academy) each drove in a run when they grounded out.

Shepherd scored the game-winner in the eighth. Brown was placed on second base under the international tie-breaker procedure. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Donnelly and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of junior catcher Alex Mantz (Edinburg, Va./Central).

Junior pitcher Katie Laing (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick) (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2K, 0 BB) (3-2) gained the win. Ruffner (1.0 IP 0 R, 0 H, 0 K, 1 BB) picked up the save. Evie Stuck (7.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 K, 3 BB) (5-6) took the loss.

The Rams return to action on March 29 when they host West Virginia Wesleyan for a 12:30 p.m. doubleheader.