SPARTANBURG, SC – The Lynn University softball team opened the 2026 season Friday morning at Tyger River Park, battling through chilly conditions in an 8–0 loss to Mars Hill in the first game of the day before closing the afternoon with a tightly contested extra-inning matchup against King.

 

- Lynn set the tone defensively in the top of the first, retiring Mars Hill in order to begin the season 

- The Lions struck first in the second inning, using a trio of RBI hits to build a 3–0 advantage 

- The Fighting Knights responded with traffic on the bases in the fourth inning as Teagan Riley singled and Onnalee Floriano doubled to put runners on second and third with one out 

- Mars Hill added two runs in the fourth to extend its lead to 5–0 

- Lynn continued to pressure offensively in the fifth, loading runners with a walk, single, and stolen base, but again came up just short of a breakthrough 

- The Lions added three runs in the sixth inning to bring the game to its final margin 

- Defensively, Lynn played error-free softball and used three pitchers to gain early-season experience in the circle 

 

- Floriano paced the offense, going 2-for-3 with a double 

- Riley finished 1-for-3 with a single 

- Kyleigh Hope added a hit and stole a base while pitching 21 innings 

- Lynn totaled four hits and three walks in the season opener 

- Savannah Ellis made the first start of the year, with Hope and Ariana Rego combining for relief appearances 

 

- Lynn struck first in the second inning, capitalizing on a walk and an error to take an early 1–0 lead 

- The Fighting Knights extended the advantage in the fourth inning, as Hope delivered a two-run double to left center to make it 3–0 

- Starter Gabriella Lindsey worked through traffic in the middle innings, keeping King off the scoreboard through six frames 

- King tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the seventh 

- Lynn answered immediately in the eighth, regaining the lead as Riley singled home a run and Floriano added an RBI to go ahead 5–3 

- The Tornado responded with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to even the score once again 

- In the ninth inning, Lynn moved back in front on a sacrifice fly by Allie Morgan to take a 6–5 lead 

- King walked it off in the bottom of the ninth, scoring twice to secure the one-run decision 

 

FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS (King): 

- Riley went 1-for-4 with an RBI 

- Floriano recorded a double, a walk, and an RBI 

- Hope drove in two runs with a double and added a sacrifice bunt 

- Morgan recorded a sacrifice fly RBI in the ninth inning 

- Lindsey threw 82 innings in the circle, allowing four earned runs while striking out three 

 

UP NEXT: 

- The Blue and White return home to host Keiser in a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb 7 at 12 pm