Lourdes rallied from a four-run deficit on Friday afternoon, pulling within one of William Penn, but ultimately left the tying run on third base in a 5-4 setback at Fortune Road Athletics Complex in Kissimmee, Fla.
 
"Our team has gotten better every day we have been down here," head coach Jo Ann Gordon said afterwards.  "We've only committed one error in the last three games, and our pitching is at a point right now where it is our lowest ERA in eight years while in Florida.  We've been hitting the ball of late, and today we battled back from a big early deficit and gave ourselves a chance to win in our last at bat and came up one hit short."
 
The Statesmen scored a run in the opening inning on a sacrifice fly before Milena Applegate (Jerome, Mich./Lumen Christi H.S.) retired the next eight batters in order.  Lourdes threatened in both the second and fourth, putting runners in scoring positions inning, but were unable to score.
 
William Penn (8-11) added to its lead, scoring three times in the fourth to build a 4-0 lead following a two-run double by Lexi Riccardi.
 
Lourdes fought back, scoring three times in the fifth.  Erin Manley (Ottawa Lake, Mich./Whiteford H.S.) reached on an error which scored Alyssa Ziegler (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold H.S.).  Emily Wallace (Thornville, Ohio/Lakewood H.S.) then scampered home on a wild pitch.  Two batters later, Ashleigh Riffle (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon H.S.)  plated Manley with a double to pull the Gray Wolves within one, 4-3.
 
A run in the bottom of the fifth increased the Statesman lead to two before Lourdes made one final rally in the seventh.  Manley led off with a walk and stole second.  Riffle was hit by a pitch and a wild pitch moved runners to second and third.  Kayla Gauthier (Linwood, Mich./Pinconning H.S.) singled home Manley, but the Gray Wolves would strand the tying run on third base.
 
Riffle, Gauthier, Shylee Schmeltz (Gibsonburg, Ohio/Gibsonburg H.S.), and Hailey Cramer (Sylvania, Ohio/Southview H.S.) each had two hits as the Gray Wolves pounded out 10 on the afternoon.
 
Peyton Parker earned the win (3-4) for the Statesmen in the circle, working 4.1 innings and allowing seven hits and three runs, one of which was earned.  Kelsey Lint picked up her second save, coming on in relief in the seventh.
 
Applegate suffered the loss (1-3), allowing four runs and five hits while striking out three in 3.1 innings of work.
 
Following the game, Lourdes (3-6) honored its two seniors, Gauthier and Oliviah Banister (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon H.S.).