LONGWOOD, Fla. (3/6/2020) -- The University of Detroit Mercy softball team had a day of mixed emotions on the field as a beautiful pitching match-up saw them win game one over Bethune-Cookman, 2-1. before dropping a heartbreaker in game two to North Carolina A&T, 8-7, in extra innings on Friday. 
 
Senior Liz Murphy pitched a complete game for the win over the Wildcats, helped by sophomore Taryn Peru's two-run double. In the second game, junior Ellie Boteler drove in four runs on a two-run homer and double and junior Regan Glenn threw six strong innings in the circle. 
 
The Titans will get back on the diamond tomorrow as the red, white and blue face Penn at 11:15 a.m. and Niagara at 1:45 p.m. 
 
Detroit Mercy 2, Bethune-Cookman 1
The Titans and Wildcats were locked in a pitcher's duel all game long, but Detroit Mercy was able to get the key hit to move past Bethune-Cookman, 2-1.
 
Detroit Mercy looked like they were going to take a 1-0 lead in the third as sophomore McKenna Tanguay singled, but sophomore Liz Paver was thrown out at home. 
 
In the fourth, the red, white and blue got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs. Freshman Reese Ruhlman started the frame with a single and Boteler followed up with a double. Peru then stepped to the plate and drilled a two-run double to left for the 2-0 lead.
 
The Wildcats scored a run in the fifth and had runners on second and third with one out and the bases loaded with two outs, but Murphy was able to work out of the jam and strand the runners. In the seventh, Bethune-Cookman again had runners on second and third with two outs, but Murphy was able to induce a ground out to end the game.
 
Ruhlman ended the game 2-for-3 at the plate, while Boteler, Tanguay and Peru with 1-for-3. 
 
Murphy scattered just seven hits and walked two batters with a strikeout in picking up the victory. 
 
North Carolina A&T 8, Detroit Mercy 7 (8)
The Titans were going for the sweep on the day and got off to a fast start, scoring in each of the first four innings.
 
In the first, Ruhlman singled with one out and Boteler lifted one over the left-field wall to give the Titans a 2-0 lead. In the second, Paver had a one-out double and after Ruhlman was hit by the pitch, Boteler stepped up to the plate and delivered a double, driving in two runs for a 4-1 advantage. 
 
The Titans played some team offense in the third as sophomore Piper Roth started the inning with a walk and then advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sacrifice bunt. She would then score on a sacrifice fly by junior Alyssa Lang for a 5-1 lead and in the following inning, Tanguay led off with a single, stole a base and advance to third on a wild pitch before coming home on a RBI double by Peru for a 6-1 cushion. 
 
Detroit Mercy looked to be in complete control, but North Carolina A&T scored three unearned runs in the sixth to cut the deficit to 6-4, and tied the game up in the seventh with two more runs. 
 
In the eighth, using the international tiebreaker rule, sophomore Taylor Gauthier started the frame on second and scored on an Aggies error, but in the bottom of the inning, North Carolina A&T was able to plate two runs for the win. 
 
Boteler finished the game 2-for-4 with four RBI, while Ruhlman was 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Glenn started the contest and went six innings giving up just seven hits and four runs - one earned - with a strikeout.