CLERMONT, Fla.: Thus far on the spring trip, the Yellowjacket softball team has faced a schedule heavy on teams from the East Coast, particularly New England. That was the case again Monday, as the Yellowjackets squared off in a pair of contests, one against Southern Maine and another against Western New England. The Yellowjackets, who entered play Monday sporting a 2-7 record, were looking to pick up their first wins of the trip, and snap a losing skid in the process.

Unfortunately, the different opponents did not bring about different results, and the Yellowjackets dropped a pair of games.

Southern Maine 14, Yellowjackets 3

In the first game of the day the Yellowjackets were finally able to snap a long shutout streak when they plated a run in the top of the first inning. With two outs Gabby Gidley (Superior, Wis./Superior) and Davriana Horvath (Esko, Minn./Esko) singled back-to-back, pushing Alayna Tulip (Arcadia, Wis./Arcadia) across the plate to put the Yellowjackets ahead 1-0.The Yellowjackets would eventually load the bases with two outs, but they couldn't get anyone else home and missed an opportunity for a big inning early.

Southern Maine did not miss out on the opportunity to put a big inning together early, scoring six times in the first inning to blow the game open. They would score three runs in the second, two in the third, and three more in the fourth to build a 14-1 lead.

As the teams headed to the fifth inning, the Yellowjackets would need to mount a furious rally to keep the game going. It looked good early, as Tiffany Kirk (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East) singled with one out. She would come around to score when Ashley Taipale (Duluth, Minn./Denfield) blasted her first home run of the year to make it a 14-3 game. That's as far as the rally would go and Southern Maine picked up the win.

Offense has been at a premium for the Yellowjackets in Florida, and this game was no different. The Yellowjackets three runs came on just four hits. The damage in this one was all done by the top of the order, with Kirk, Taipale, Gidley and Horvath accounting for the hits.

Amanda Kishish (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis) started for the Yellowjackets and took the loss. She gave up 11 runs (seven earned) in three innings before being relieved by Damara Theis (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee), who allowed three earned runs in her one inning of work.

Western New England 4, Yellowjackets 1

The offensive struggles continued for the Yellowjackets in the second game Monday, and they were only able to push one run across in a tight contest with Western New England.

The Golden Bears opened the scoring, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Those two runs held up, as the pitchers took over for both teams and kept runners off the base paths. It remained 2-0 until the top of the sixth inning with the Golden Bears plated two more to open up a 4-0 lead.

It wasn't until the last of the seventh inning when the Yellowjackets finally broke through. Kishish came to the plate as a pinch hitter and started the inning with a walk. She was erased when Bailey Kinnunen (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) reached on a fielders choice. She was lifted for a pinch runner, and two hitters later Amber Yoch (North Branch, Minn./North Branch Area) drove in Emily Carpenter (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) to get the Yellowjackets on the board. Consecutive flyouts snuffed out the rally, and the Yellowjackets fell 4-1.

Kirk, Tulip, Kinnunen, and Yoch had the four hits in the game for the Yellowjackets.

Taipale got the start and was strong in the circle for the Yellowjackets, going the distance. She allowed four runs (two earned) on seven hits. She struck out four.