CLERMONT, Fla. – The University of Chicago softball team began its spring break trip to Florida on a high note by beating Union (N.Y.) College 7-6 and Rhodes College 8-2 on Saturday.

The Maroons improved to 4-0 on the season.

Game One – UChicago 7, Union (N.Y.) 6   (8 innings)

Down 1-0 going into the bottom of the third inning, UChicago pushed across three runs in the frame. Pinch runner Daisy Brownfield tied things up by scoring on a wild pitch. Then with two outs, seniors Katie O'Donnell and Lainey Hughes cracked back-to-back RBI singles.

Union turned things around in the top of the sixth inning with five runs to draw back ahead 6-3. But the Maroons had the answer once again in the bottom half of the sixth. O'Donnell stepped into the batter's box with the bases loaded and two outs. She knocked in two with a single to right field and the tying run came around to score on an error on the same play.

The game went to extra innings, where sophomore pitcher Delaney Choi put down all three batters with two swinging strikeouts. A single by junior Lola Fisher put the winning run on third, and an infield error on the next play provided the walk-off win.

UChicago finished with nine hits and one error. O'Donnell led the way with two hits and three RBI, and senior Jules Waller went 3-for-3.

Choi (1-0 record) got the win with 2.2 innings of relief that included one run on one hit with five strikeouts. Sophomore Delaney Romanchick started in the pitching circle, going four innings with one run allowed. Senior Bethany Regnerus (4 R) threw 1.1 innings as well.

Game Two – UChicago 8, Rhodes 2

The second game of the day was less dramatic as the Maroons led wire-to-wire. Four runs came across in the top of the first inning. Two errors helped fill the bases and junior Julia Folkl forced one across by drawing a walk. Brownfield then knocked in two with a single to left field. A double steal of home and second by Folkl and Brownfield made the score 4-0.

Rhodes tallied two runs in the bottom of the first, but UChicago put up three more in the top of the second. Tasked with another bases-loaded situation, O'Donnell delivered once again a two-run double to center. Folkl smacked an RBI single shortly afterwards to push the lead to 7-2.

An infield error gave the Maroons an 8-2 lead in the top of the third and they cruised the rest of the way. Five Rhodes errors resulted in six unearned runs in the game.

UChicago concluded with five hits and two errors. O'Donnell, Folkl and Brownfield all compiled two RBI each.

First-year starting pitcher Paige Heffke (2-0 record) went six innings with one run, two hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Senior Olivia Dunne struck out two batters with one hit in the seventh inning.

NEXT GAMES:

• Sunday, March 20 @ 12:00 PM (ET) – UChicago vs. St. Catherine University (at Leesburg, Fla.)
• Sunday, March 20 @ 2:15 PM (ET) – UChicago vs. Williams College (at Leesburg, Fla.)