CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte softball team (1-5) battled in their home-opener at Park Road Park against UNC-Pembroke (5-2) today. In the cold, windy double-header, the Royals fell in both games dropping the first 4-2 before suffering a 16-3 loss in the second matchup.

The Royals came out swinging, but failed to record any runs in the first and second innings. Conversely, they played tough defense, as well, to keep the Braves off the board as the score sat even at 0-0. It was not until the third inning that Queens' own Hanna Hasker hit a bomb out to right field, recording a triple. A single from Brooke Sanford to left field put Hasker on the board for a 1-0 score.

The Royals maintained the tight defense in the top of the fourth to hold UNC-Pembroke at nil. In the bottom of the inning, Abby Lathan found a long hit to left field recording a double. With two runners on base, after Ashton Whitaker was previously walked, Sabrina Martinez bunted and reached on a throwing error made by the Braves. She would advance to second, with Whitaker advancing to third, on the same play. Lathan crossed home plate to put the Royals up 2-0 at the bottom of the fourth inning.

Coming from behind, UNC-Pembroke put themselves on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning, with a homerun from Taylor Gerhart, bringing her teammate Abbey Walters home to tie the score, 2-2.

In the top of the seventh, Haleigh Epperson hit a homerun over the left center wall with teammate Jamie Johnson on base to put the team ahead by two. Queens would not score in the bottom of the seventh, making the final score of the first game 4-2.

Courtney Pearson (0-3) pitched for the Royals seeing 10 hits and three strikeouts. For the Braves, both Abbey Walters and Taylor Strickland saw time in the circle, seeing two strikeouts apiece and five hits between the two of them. Strickland walked away with the win for a 1-0 pitching record.

To start the second game, Walters record another homerun for the Braves with Rendi Wetherington on base. Before the conclusion of their first at bat, UNC-Pembroke would put four runs on the board.

To answer, Queens posted a homerun from Sydney Ditto. Shortly after, Lathan recorded a double before making it home off a wild pitch a few plays later. Her run cut the lead in half, 4-2.

UNC-Pembroke tallied five more runs in the top of the third to make the score 9-2. With Queens up to bat, Elaina Frantellizzi doubled into left field, getting Sabrina Martinez to round the bases and keeping the Royals in the game. However, UNC-Pembroke would score another four runs in the top of the fourth before adding another three in the fifth to clench their second win of the day.

Evie Scott (1-2) and Allison Lopez pitched for the Royals in the second game seeing 19 hits combined. Scott suffered the loss for a 1-2 pitching record.

Maddie Armfield (1-0) tallied the game win after going four innings with three hits and one run.

Queens heads to Misenheimer, N.C., to face Pfeiffer University next this Saturday in another double-header. First pitch is set to be at 1 p.m.