Lourdes recorded its third straight split on Friday afternoon as the Gray Wolves rebounded from a 6-0 loss against Saint Mary (Kan.) to defeat Culver-Stockton 4-3 at the USSSA Space Coast in Melbourne, Fla.
 
"We got beat in all phases of the game in the opener and they just outplayed us," head coach Caitlin Blanchard said afterwards.  "In game two, we got key contributions from both our freshmen offensively and in the circle as well as from seniors defensively."
 
Lourdes managed just four hits against Saint Mary (14-7), as Jordan Reynolds shut the Gray Wolves down with four strikeouts and no walks.  The Spires plated three runs in the opening inning before adding single tallies in the third, fifth, and sixth frames.  The Gray Wolves had runners on the corners with one out in the fifth, but were unable to plate a run.
 
Abby Cantrell (Gibsonburg, Ohio/Gibsonburg H.S.) had two hits to lead the Lourdes offense.
 
In game two, Culver-Stockton (5-13) jumped in front in the second with a pair of runs, one of which was unearned.  Lourdes rebounded and took the lead in the third, batting around.  Olivia Hickman (Trenton, Mich./Trenton H.S.) singled home the first run before Maddie Darrah (Holland, Ohio/Springfield H.S.) followed with another RBI single.  Brooke Albert (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights H.S.) then put the Gray Wolves in front with a base hit of her own.
 
Darrah increased the lead to 4-2 with a two-out double in the fourth that plated Hickman, giving Lourdes a much-needed insurance run.  The Wildcats plated one run in the sixth, but Berlynn Keller (Ottawa Lake, Mich./Whiteford H.S.) recorded two of her eight strikeouts in the seventh to finish off her complete game win.
 
Darrah had three hits while Elizabeth Valdez (Toledo, Ohio/Start H.S.) and Hickman each had two hits.
 
Lourdes (5-7) closes out its trip to Florida on Saturday morning facing 23^rd-ranked Marian at 9 a.m. and Florida National at 11:30 a.m.