Clermont, FL. - The Transylvania softball team began their 2016 season with the first two games of a 12-game trek on Sunday morning as part of The Spring Games softball series held at the TPX Athletics complex.

The Pioneers started off their season with a double header against Heidelberg, the 15th ranked team in the nation, and SUNY Geneseo. Transylvania fell 12-4 to Heidelberg in their opening morning game which went five innings. The Pioneers took on the Knights of SUNY Geneseo in the second game of the day and took a 1-0 loss in a defensive bout.

Jamie Lutes started off the opening game pitching for the Pioneers, and was followed by Tayler Thompson and Jordan Kramer who also took the mound during the game. Lutes lasted 2 and 2/3 innings before she was retired. Taylor Thompson and Jordan Kramer each came in relief for the Pios in Game One of the season.

With Heidelberg leading 3-0 heading into the third inning, the Pioneers got on the board with a two-out, solo home run by Shelby Bailey to right center field to cut Heidelberg's lead back down to two runs. But Heidelberg answered back with two more runs in the bottom frame to build a 5-1 lead. Transylvania gradually began stoking the flames of offense as freshman Jessica Powell smacked a double to the left field alley to score Ashley Frees in the fourth inning.

Transylvania registered two more runs in the fifth inning on a Shelby Bailey RBI single to drive in Brittany Mumford, and Meg Liter followed with an RBI single to score Madison Dorsey, trimming the lead to 8-4 in the fifth inning.

However, Heidelberg's offense maintained a fierce attack upon the Pioneers, scoring two or more runs in each inning besides the second to claim the 12-4 final in five innings.

The Pioneers quickly mustered a turnaround for an 11 a.m. start to face SUNY Geneseo. Game Two of the day assumed a much different scoring tone than their contest against Heidelberg with freshman Jenna Stiles making her college debut for the Pios.

Stiles posted a stellar defensive day of efficiency, allowing two walks, one earned run, and producing two strikeouts as Geneseo could find few answers for the Transylvania ace.

One answer was all the game required, as Geneseo scored on a base hit to right center in the third inning to make the only dent in Stiles's armor as well as grabbing the only run of the contest.

Transylvania was able to find some offense against the Knights, outhitting them on the day 5 to 4, but had trouble stringing together the tying run. The Pioneers at one point managed to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the third, but two consecutive strikeouts left three runners stranded with Geneseo maintaining the 1-0 lead which they clinged to for the rest of the day.

The Pioneers will quickly try to rebound from their 0-2 start with a 1:00 p.m. game tomorrow against Ripon at Hancock Park in Clermont. Transylvania will follow that contest with a 5:00 p.m. matchup versus Stockton of the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Transylvania is scheduled to play two games each day this week in Florida besides their rest day on Wednesday as they test their early-season mettle.