Tucson, Ariz. - The Alma College softball team fell in both its games on the opening day of the 2020 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Leadoff Classic on Friday (Mar. 13), 6-3 to Washington University (MO) and 8-4 to Piedmont College (GA). These are Alma's first losses of the season, bringing the Scots to 8-2.

Alma earned a run in the first inning against WashU with a walk by Madyson Piche (Sault Sainte Marie, Mich. / Sault Area) and singles by Hadyn Terwilliger (Mount Pleasant, Mich. / Sacred Heart Academy) and Kaylee Martin (North Branch, Mich. / North Branch). WashU answered with back-to-back triples in the bottom half of the inning to grab the lead and tacked on five more runs in the next two innings.

Alma picked up two runs in the fifth when Martin singled home Cassidy Tucker (Coleman, Mich. / Coleman) after a leadoff infield single. Kennedy Koenigsknecht (Fowler, Mich. / Fowler) later scored on a wild pitch but Alma was unable to get any more across.

Later against Piedmont, Alma got out to a 2-0 lead after one; Terwilliger tripled home Piche and Martin hit a sacrifice fly to score Terwilliger. The two teams traded runs in the second inning with RBI singles; Tucker's plated Haley Ullrich (Elk River, Minn. / Elk River).

Piedmont found five runs in the top of the third, two of which were unearned. Alma fought back with an RBI single in the fifth, but it wouldn't be enough.

The Scots have a quick turnaround before their next games. They will play DePauw University (IN) and LeTourneau University (TX) on Saturday (Mar. 14) beginning at 8:00 a.m. pacific time.