FORT WAYNE, Ind. - On Friday afternoon, the University of Saint Francis Cougars (4-4) continued their Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida with two games against the Siena Heights University Saints (6-3) and the Grand View Vikings (8-2) and defeated the Saints 4-3 before falling to the Vikings 5-3.

Sophomore pitcher Erika Turpin took the mound to start the opening game against the Saints and did allow a first-inning run, but settled in after that. Then in the bottom of the inning, her teammates went to work on offense when shortstop Abby Erwin smacked a two-run home run to give Saint Francis a 2-1 lead.

After the opening frame, a pitcher's dual ensued for the next three innings. Turpin continued to pitch well, but come the top of the fifth, the Saints tied the game at two on an RBI-single, and the Cougars threatened in their half of the frame but to no avail.

Then in the bottom of the sixth, catcher Tori Miller led off the inning with a double, stole third, and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Erwin and the Cougars were three outs away from victory.

In the top of the seventh, Turpin allowed a leadoff single, but retired the next two batters. With one out to go, the Saints tied the game with a single to left and the Cougars came to bat looking to finish it off.

Right fielder Dory Thompson was hit by a pitch to start the inning, moved to third on an error and then scored the winning run on designated hitter Regan Peppler's two-out single to give Saint Francis their first victory of the Spring Games.

Turpin went the distance to earn the win allowing three runs on eight hits. 

In the finale against the Grand View Vikings, junior Mackenzie Rust took the mound to start for the Cougars, but ran into trouble in the early innings.

The Vikings scored first in the top of the first on two hits and a couple stolen bases, and went back to work in the second. A two-out two-run double to right plated two more runs for Grand View as they extended their lead to three runs. 

Third baseman Dani Karr put the Cougars on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second with an RBI-double scoring Ashley Kent, but then the Vikings answered right back in the third, scoring two runs on a couple fielding errors by Saint Francis to extend their lead to 5-1.

Rust was finished after the third allowing five runs on six hits. Freshman Mia Werner came in to relieve in the fourth and pitched brilliantly the rest of the way, escaping a few jams to hurl four shutout innings to keep her team in the game.

A couple more RBI's driven in by shortstop Brooklyn McCord plated two more runs for the Cougars to make it 5-3, but that was it as Saint Francis settled for a split. 

The Cougars continue their Spring Games Saturday with two more games against the Saint Xavier Saints and Lourdes Gray Wolves with the first game beginning at 11:15.