MELBOURNE, Fla. -- The Rose-Hulman softball team split their doubleheader on the first day of their Florida trip to start the 2026 season. The team defeated Houghton with a final score of 12-4 after six innings, and fell short to Albright with a final score of 5-4.

In the first game of the day, Rose-Hulman put together a slug fest, totaling 14 hits against Houghton. Kayla Schnippel had an impressive game, going 3-4 with one run scored. Jessica Newsom made an impact, going 2-4 with two runs and three RBIs. Emily Hodges was another standout, finishing 2-5 at the plate with one run and three RBIs. Aubrey Smith was another star hitter, going 2-4 with two runs and two RBIs. 

Rose-Hulman got started early with six runs in the bottom of the second inning. Hits by Lucille Pyrz, Hodges, Newsom, Smith, and Abigail Shearer brought runners around to give the Fightin' Engineers a commanding lead, 6-0. 

Houghton answered with three runs across the third and fifth innings to make the score 6-3. Rose-Hulman extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with runs scored by Pyrz, Newsom, Schnippel, and Smith to make the score 10-3. 

After Houghton recorded another run in the top of the sixth, Rose-Hulman looked to close out the game in the bottom of the inning. Hodges doubled to left field, bringing in runs by Megan Newton and Rosie Travioli to push the lead to eight and end the game with a run rule. 

Smith earned the win in the circle in her first start of the year, ending the game by pitching the entire 6.0 innings with six strikeouts. 

In the second game of the day, Rose-Hulman found themselves in a competitive contest against Albright. 

Hodges was exceptional, going 2-5 in the game with one run and two RBIs. Newsom and Booher also had strong showings at the plate, both finishing 2-3 in the game. 

A sacrifice fly by Schnippel in the first inning scored a run by Hodges to give the Fightin' Engineers the early lead 1-0. Albright answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first to make the score 2-1. 

Albright extended their lead with three more runs in the fourth to stand ahead 5-1.

Rose-Hulman rallied in the sixth inning, after a single by Pyrz brought around a run by Kyra Tucker to cut the lead to three at 5-2. Hodges got the team within reach with a double that scored runs by Pyrz and Caledonia Coleman, making the score 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth. 

Rose was unable to regain the lead in the top of the seventh and suffered their first loss of the year. Audrey Theuring suffered the loss in the circle, pitching 3.0 innings with four strikeouts. 

The Fightin' Engineers will return to action tomorrow, Tuesday, March 3, for a doubleheader against Dubuque and Baruch at 10 AM and 12:15 PM.