Highlights: Wooster / Ohio Wesleyan

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Sophomores Christina Drake (Lebanon, N.H.) and Jade Palladino (Lynnfield, Mass.) each had two hits and an RBI for the Nichols College softball team on Saturday at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. The Bison were defeated by Wooster, 8-3, and Ohio Wesleyan, 7-0, at the Lee County Sports Complex.

The Bison fell behind 2-0 to the Fighting Scots (7-2) in the first before rallying for two in their half of the frame to tie the game. Drake singled through the left side to plate freshman Kendall Meehan (Danvers, Mass.) before junior Haley Fountain (Warren, Mass.) brought Drake home with an RBI groundout.

Palladino doubled to left-center in the second to score freshman Kasey Ayer (Niantic, Conn.) and give Nichols a 3-2 lead. A solo home run from Wooster in the fourth tied the game at three, and it added four
runs (three unearned) later in the frame to go ahead 7-3.

Meehan was tagged for eight runs (five earned) in her collegiate debut in the circle and took the loss. She walked three and fanned four in seven innings of work.

Nichols played a flawless game defensively against the Battling Bishops (7-3) and only trailed 2-0 after four, courtesy of a two-run home run. Ohio Wesleyan broke the game open with three in the fifth and two in the seventh against Fountain, who surrendered 13 hits and seven runs in six innings. Ayer finished the game 2-for-3.

The Bison (1-3) play local foes Lasell (9 a.m.) and UMass Dartmouth (11 a.m.) Sunday at the Cape Coral Sports Complex.