DOUBLEHEADER SPLIT FOR SOFTBALL IN FLORIDA

COCOA BEACH, Fla. – Avila softball split a pair on its first day of the 2026 Spring Break trip, beating Bismarck State, 5-2, before losing in eight innings to Grace, 2-1.

In the opener against Bismarck State, Avila used 10 hits from up and down the lineup to produce the solid victory.

Maya Richards accounted for Avila's first two runs in the second inning. The senior drove in Emily Collins after reaching first on an error. Richards then came around to score after stealing third and scoring on an E2.

An RBI double from Sophia Media stretched Avila's lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning.

Avila added one more in the fifth and seventh innings to go up 5-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Mystics would claw back, adding two on a double and a passed ball. Two runs are all they could muster and Avila walked away with a 5-2 victory.

Abi Beaman notched three hits in the game and McKayla Cotton added two of her own.

Cotton tossed six innings in the circle, picking up the win in addition to her exploits at the plate.

Saturday's second game went extra innings against Grace College of Indiana.

A low-scoring affair had the first run of the game come in the second inning from Richards, who, once again, scored Collins with an RBI double.

The Lancers answered back with a run of their own in the top of the third.

Pitching would dominate the remainder of the game with neither team crossing the plate until the eighth inning, when Grace would put up the game-winning run on an RBI double. 

Avila plays two more in the Space Coast Games on Sunday. Avila will take on No. 6 Madonna at 1:30 CT before facing St. Francis at 6 PM CT.  

 (photo credit: Ali Nassir)