NAPLES, Fla. – The Nichols College softball team was defeated by UMass Dartmouth 4-3 in eight innings Saturday morning in non-conference action at North Collier State Park.

Senior Meghan Sears (Tewksbury, Mass.) went 2-for-3 and drove in the game-tying run in the seventh for the Bison. Senior Christina Drake (Lebanon, N.H.) plated a run in the eighth with a sac fly to left.

Senior Jade Palladino (Lynnfield, Mass.), junior Courtney Manarky (Amston, Conn.), and freshman Amanda Alioto (Patchogue, N.Y.) each scored runs for Nichols.

Freshman Alexis Ferris (Holyoke, Mass.) allowed eight hits and four runs (three earned) over eight innings. She walked five and struck out seven.