St. Petersburg, Fla.- Lynn Univeristy's softball team improved to 15-14 and 5-5 in the Sunshine State Conference on Friday night when the Fighting Knights defeated Eckerd, 7-4, in the SSC series opener. Manya Lopez went 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in four runs for the Blue & White while Missy Montgomery collected her eighth win of the season in the circle for Lynn. 

An RBI single in the bottom of the first by Kaycle Duncan gave Eckerd a 1-0 lead. Lynn responded in the top of the second when Lopez drove in Leanne Wright and Cherise McEnery on a double to right centerfield for a 2-1 Knights lead. 

As the rain began to fall the Blue & White busted open its lead scoring five runs on two hits and three Eckerd errors in the top of the third. Francais Olexa scored on a wild pitch to start the five-run rally. With Lynn ahead 3-1 the two teams were sent to seek shelter for a weather delay but upon returning the Fighting Knights scored two more runs to lead by six runs. 

McEnery walked which placed runners on the corners for Wright who reached on an error as Vassallo scored from third base for a 4-1 lead. Lopez drove in two more runs with an RBI single and Sara Vazquez plated the Fighting Knights seventh run putting the Blue & White ahead 7-1 before the Tritons were able to escape the jam with runners on first and third .

The delay seemed to take the steam out of Eckerd as the next two innings went fast with neither team scoring any runs. In the bottom of the fifth EC scored on an RBI single from Chelsea Armstrong that cut Lynn's lead to 7-2. 

Olexa came on to pitch in relief in the sixth inning and ran into some trouble in the seventh when  the Tritons quickly loaded the bases with no outs. The Fighting Knights southpaw got Armstrong to pop up to second base for the first out of the inning but she walked in a run when she sent Dana Paul to base on balls. Olexa struck out Brittany Mitchell looking for the second out of the inning but walked Carrie Shere to play another run for EC. A fielder's choice for Kara Oberer ended the game in Lynn's favore while Eckerd stranded two runners on base. 

Montgomery (8-4) tossed five innings allowing two runs on six hits while Olexa closed out the game earning her first career save with the Blue & White. Vazquez, Wright and Lopez all drove in runs for the Fighting Knights and not one member of Lynn's squad struck out. 

The two teams will face off for the twin bill of the SSC series beginning at 1 pm on Saturday, March 28. Fans can follow the action live at LynnFightingKnights.com. Don't forget to 'Like' us on Facebook and follow @Lynn_Knights on Twitter and Instagram.