FORT WAYNE, Ind. - On Monday afternoon, the University of Saint Francis Cougars (6-4) continued their Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida with a game against the Missouri Baptist University Spartans (2-8) followed by the Indiana University South Bend Titans (7-9), and won both games by scores of 4-0 and 3-0 for consecutive shutouts.

In the opening game against the Spartans, junior Mackenzie Rust took the mound to start for the Cougars and set the tone right from the start. The hurler retired the first nine batters she faced, and then her teammates went to work for her in the top of the third. 

With one out, left fielder Elandra Shafer singled to spark a rally and then came around to score the first run on designated hitter Regan Peppler's two-run single to put Saint Francis up 2-0. But the Cougars weren't done there as catcher Tori Miller reached on an error scoring Peppler for a three-run lead.

Then in the fifth, the Cougars got an insurance run on a two-out RBI single from Tori Miller. That was more than enough run support that Rust needed as she rendered the Spartans hitless through six innings.

Rust did go back out to finish the game in the seventh and despite allowing her first hit of the game, went the distance for a complete-game victory as the Cougars took the opener 4-0. 

Rust was dominant on the mound as she allowed no runs on just one hit while striking out six batters and not surrendering a single walk.

In the second game against the Titans, sophomore pitcher Erika Turpin started on the mound for the Cougars and also pitched well throughout. After escaping a second-inning jam, her teammates went to work on offense in the bottom of the frame. 

Third baseman Dani Karr singled home right fielder Paige Oldham for the game's first run, and then Karr came around to score on center fielder Grace Renbarger's two-out RBI-single up the middle for a 2-0 lead.

Two runs was all the run support that Turpin needed as she followed with a strong performance off the heels of Rust's shutout. 

Saint Francis scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, and then Turpin went out for the seventh and recorded the final three outs for a complete-game victory and shutout. Through seven innings pitched, Turpin allowed no runs on just five hits and also did not surrender a single walk. 

The Cougars will wrap up the Spring Games in Florida Tuesday with a couple games against the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears (11-6) at 2:45 followed by the College of Saint Mary Flames (3-6) beginning at 6:00 pm.