Box Score (Florida Tech)  |  Box Score (Saint Leo)

MELBOURNE, Fla. – East Stroudsburg University began its 2017 season with a pair of defeats at Florida Tech's Brawl at the Beach tournament on Friday. The Warriors fell 9-1 in six innings to the host Panthers (8-3) in the morning and then dropped an 8-0 contest in six innings to No. 16 Saint Leo (9-3) later in the afternoon.

The Warriors (0-2) were competitive through the first four innings in both tilts against a pair of teams who have reached the NCAA tournament in the past two seasons, but were outscored 14-1 in the fifth and sixth innings.

Sophomore Samantha Pickar drove in ESU's only run with an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning against Florida Tech.

The Warriors have two more games on Saturday, taking on Stonehill at 10 a.m. and No. 4 Armstrong State at 4:30 p.m.

Game 1: Florida Tech 9, ESU 1 (6)

Junior Mary Wallick, a three-time first team All-Conference pitcher at Bristol High School, made her first appearance on the mound for the Warriors in Game 1.

Wallick was strong early on, surrendering only a pair of unearned runs in the first through her first four innings of work. Senior Danielle Wissinger aided the effort behind the plate, throwing out FIT's Alexus Smith trying to steal second after a one-out walk.

Three-straight singles plated ESU's run in the fifth. Senior Rae Holden and junior Madison Oren began the rally with one out, and pinch-runner Kendra Barlotta crossed the plate on Pickar's single to right center. That left runners on first and third with one out, but Panther RHP Amanda Kahn induced a pop out and a groundout to limit the damage.

FIT added four insurance runs with two outs in the bottom half of the frame, capped off by a homer from Hailey Leonard, and tacked on three additional two-out runs to finish off the victory in the sixth.

Junior Heather Visco went 1 for 2 with a walk in her three plate appearances, including a leadoff double in the second inning.

Game 2: No. 16 Saint Leo 8, ESU 0 (6)

Senior LHP Rachael Liguori made her 2017 debut in Game 2, holding the nationally-ranked Lions to an unearned run through the first four innings. Liguori ultimately allowed five earned runs over five innings of work, finishing with three strikeouts and three walks.

Those three Ks moved her alone into fourth place all-time with 267 for her ESU career. Liguori also passed Jackie Battaglino (2007-10) for ninth all-time in innings pitched (374 2/3).

Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, the Warriors earned their only baserunner of the contest on a leadoff walk from Wissinger. She was sacrificed over to second by junior Janine Giordano, but RHP Alison Mitts got the next two batters to work out of trouble. Mitts fanned six batters over six hitless innings for Saint Leo.

The Lions broke open the game with three runs (one earned) in the bottom of the fifth, and a three-run triple Sommer Pollard accounted for most of the damage in a four-run sixth.