SALISBURY, N.C. – Facing its second road doubleheader in three days, and third overall in five days, the No. 21 Queens University of Charlotte softball team picked up its first back-to-back losses of the season today after the Indians of Catawba College defeated the Royals by scores of 5-2 and 8-0 from Whitley Field.

Queens now sits at 27-7 (4-4) on the season but remains over .500 on the road, boasting a 14-6 record. Catawba improves to 18-15 (6-2) and has won five straight, all against South Atlantic Conference (SAC) opponents.

The Royals, who are 6-1 at home this season, will play 10 of its next 12 games at Park Road Park after playing only two games at home since Feb. 9. Those two games came on March 23 against Newberry, in which they scored 15 total runs to collect the series sweep.

The Indians held the hot Queens bats in check, allowing only five combined hits in two games. Catawba has given up just six runs over the course of its five-game winning streak and has shut out opponents twice in the span of three games. For Queens, it marks only the second time this season it has been held under eight total runs in a doubleheader matchup. The Royals entered the day leading the SAC in runs scored per game at 7.47, good enough for 13th in the nation.

In her first appearance since being named SAC Pitcher of the Week after picking up two wins and a save during the week of March 19-25, Courtney Pearson took the Game One loss. She gave up five runs (three earned) on seven hits and recorded six strikeouts in six innings. Her record this year moves to 11-5 to accompany a 2.36 ERA. Despite the loss, Pearson pitched her 11th complete game in 15 appearances.

After beginning her freshman campaign a perfect 11-0, Shannon McGuire picked up the loss in Game Two after pitching 2.1 innings and giving up six runs on five hits. McGuire remains tied with Pearson for fifth-most wins in the conference, trailing leader Emily Kenley of Lenoir-Rhyne with 13.

Sydney Ditto stole another base in Game One, her sixteenth of the season in 33 games. She is two ahead of Sabrina Martinez to lead the Royals in the category. Last year, Ditto stole 29 bases in 50 games.

The Royals will return home on Friday, March 30 for a doubleheader against conference foe, Lincoln Memorial University. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with Game Two slated to begin at 3 p.m.