Pipers drop pair of games on opening day

The Pipers started the day with a 7-1 loss to Chapman University (Orange, Calif.).

After a scoreless four innings, Chapman got on the board in the bottom of the fifth with one run, before adding six runs in the sixth.

Sara Mickelson (Sr., West St. Paul, Minn.) hit a one-out double at the top of the seventh, and then was replaced on the base by pinch-runner Cortney Bailey (Fy., Blooming Prairie, Minn.). Bailey advanced to third on a single by Sophie Davidson (So., St. Paul, Minn.), and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Ashley Anderberg (So., Circle Pines, Minn.) for the lone Piper run in the game.

In the Pipers second game of the day, they fell in a 3-2 game to the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford.

The Panthers scored a quick run in the top of the first, but the Pipers tied it up in the bottom of the inning as Erin Farley (Fy., St. Paul, Minn.) singled Davidson home, who had reached on a walk and then advanced to second on a ground out.

A Panther lead-off homerun gave them a 2-1 lead in the second, but the score was tied once again in the fourth as Heidi Larsen (Fy., Andover, Minn.) drew a two-out walk and was then brought home on two singles.

The University of Pittsburgh-Bradford got the last run in, however, scoring in the top of the sixth on a series of singles.

The Pipers are 0-2, and will continue their series of games in Califorinia, Sunday through Wednesday.