DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Lynn Softball grabbed an early lead but was unable to hold off Embry-Riddle, falling 3-1 on the road in Sunshine State Conference action on Friday. The Fighting Knights struck first behind a second-inning RBI from Kaela Santiago and continued to pressure with small ball throughout, but the Eagles responded with a pair of runs in the third and added another in the fourth to secure the series-opening victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lynn threatened early in the first inning, as Kyleigh Hope singled and advanced to third following a sacrifice and a throwing error, but the Fighting Knights were unable to capitalize
- The Blue and White broke through in the second inning, with Aiyana Hicks tripling down the left field line before Kaela Santiago followed with a bunt RBI single to give Lynn a 1-0 lead
- Embry-Riddle responded in the third, using a walk and bunt single to set the table before the Eagles delivered a two-run single to flip the score and take a 2-1 lead
- The Eagles added to their advantage in the fourth, capitalizing on a pair of hits and a Lynn fielding error to extend the lead to 3-1
- Lynn continued to generate occasional traffic, including a Marina Goins double in the third and a single in the sixth, but could not string together enough offense to push across another run
- The Fighting Knights put pressure on with small ball throughout, recording multiple bunt attempts and advancing runners, but were unable to find a go-ahead hit
- Defensively, Lynn settled in after the fourth, holding Embry-Riddle scoreless over the final three innings to keep the game within reach
- Despite the late defensive effort, Lynn was retired in order in the seventh, as Embry-Riddle closed out the 3-1 victory
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Goins led the Lynn offense, going 2-for-3 with a double, accounting for two of the team's five hits
- Hicks provided a spark at the top, going 1-for-3 with a triple, a run scored, and a stolen base
- Santiago drove in Lynn's lone run with a bunt RBI single in the second inning
- Hope added a hit and reached base to help set the tone early for the Fighting Knights
- Lynn totaled five hits on the day, with three going for extra bases (one double, one triple)
- The Blue and White utilized small ball effectively, recording two sacrifice bunts to advance runners
- In the circle, Gabriella Lindsey tossed a complete game, allowing three runs on five hits with just one walk
 
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights will close out the SSC series with the Eagles on Saturday afternoon, kicking off at 1 p.m. in Daytona.