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Lourdes opened up the 2018 season on Sunday afternoon, suffering a 3-1 loss to Judson and a 6-3 setback to Bellevue at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla.
 
"Today was a solid opening day for us," head coach Jo Ann Gordon said after the games.  "Even though we didn't come away with a 'w', we saw a lot of good things today against two quality opponents."
 
In the opener against Judson, the first four innings were a pitcher's duel, with Brooke Gallaher (Oregon, Ohio/Clay H.S.) matching zeros on the scoreboard with the Eagles' Lauren Herlihy.  Lourdes struck first in the top of the fifth as Oliviah Banister (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon H.S.) reaching on an error.  After Jimi McNew (Monroe, Mich./Monroe H.S.) laid down a sacrifice bunt, Banister moved to third on a wild pitch.  Shylee Schmeltz (Northwood, Ohio/Gibsonburg H.S.) delivered her first collegiate single up the middle, for a RBI.
 
Judson responded in the bottom of the inning, scoring twice on a sacrifice fly and a two-out single to take a 2-1 lead.  The Eagles added an insurance run in the sixth with a two-out hit, and the Gray Wolves were unable to put a runner on base in either the sixth or seventh innings to mount a rally.
 
Gallaher finished with a no-decision after striking out four and yielding four hits in four innings of work while Samantha Shirling (Pemberville, Ohio/Eastwood H.S.) suffered the loss (0-1), allowing the three runs on four hits in two innings.  Herlihy earned the win (1-0) in the circle, allowing just the one unearned run in a complete game effort while surrendering just three Lourdes hits.  She struck out six and walked two.
 
Bellevue took a 1-0 lead in the third of the second game on a home run by Grace Glotfelty, which just wrapped around the leftfield foul pole.  Glotfelty finished the game with three hits for the Bruins.
 
Lourdes responded in the bottom of the fourth, plating three runs to take a 3-1 advantage.  Lindsay George (Wayne, Ohio/Elmwood H.S.) led off with a single and Marissa Kostick (Saint Charles, Ill./Saint Charles H.S.) followed with a double to center.  A wild pitch plated the first run while Schmeltz followed with a sacrifice fly.  Taylor Genzman (Saint Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview H.S.) plated the third run with a single that scored Sydnee Behlmer (Northwood, Ohio/Lake H.S.), who had reached via a walk.
 
Lourdes carried its lead into the seventh when Bellevue (7-3) erupted for five runs, sending 11 batters to the plate.  Emily Gigax's two-run single put the Bruins in front for good.
 
Gallaher suffered the loss (0-1) in relief for Lourdes, allowing all five runs in one-third of an inning.  Erin Sharpe picked up the win (3-0) for the Bruins with four innings of relief, allowing just one run while striking out six.
 
Kostick had two hits in the game to lead the Gray Wolves' six-hit attack, while also tossing 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, striking out six in the circle.
 
Lourdes (0-2) will return to the diamond on Monday morning, facing Trinity Christian at 9 a.m. and Calumet at 2 p.m. at Sleepy Hollow Park in Leesburg, Fla.