MINNEOLA, Fla. – Penn State Altoona softball started its week competing in The Spring Games on Sunday, when the Lady Lions suffered a pair of losses.

Penn State Altoona (0-4) lost its first game of the day 3-2 to DeSales University before a 12-4 loss at the hands of Washington College (Md.) in the team's second game.

"I thought we played a much better doubleheader today than our first weekend. Getting outside and playing against some good competition, we competed well," said Penn State Altoona head coach Joe Merilli. "We still have to clean some things up. On the offensive end, we need to get some more bunts down. Our outfield proves to be really good as far as being able to go and get balls, and they're going to keep us in a lot of games."

Game One: DeSales 3, Penn State Altoona 2

Penn State Altoona took a tough loss in game one, as DeSales (3-4) prevailed in walkoff fashion during a well-played game by both teams.

Jayde Burge (Philipsburg, PA/Philipsburg-Osceola) took the loss in the circle for the Lady Lions despite a solid performance. The right-hander tossed a complete game, going 6 1/3 innings and limiting DeSales to two earned runs on six hits and only one walk.

Kristen Hewitt (Coalport, PA/Glendale) went 2-for-4 at the plate, notching two of her team's seven hits. Brooke Colledge (Everett, PA/Everett) and Katie College (Davidsville, PA/Conemaugh Township) each went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

An error in the bottom of the first led to two DeSales runs coming home, but Penn State Altoona put up zeroes over the next five innings and worked its way back to tie the score. College scored on an error in the top of the fifth to cut the DeSales lead in half, and Jenna Myers' (Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley) RBI single up the middle knotted the score 2-2.

But DeSales won the game by scoring a walkoff run in the bottom of the seventh. Two singles set the table, and an intentional walk loaded the bases. After a foul out, Reilly Kerr's ground ball to second base allowed the go-ahead run to score.

Game Two: Washington 12, Penn State Altoona 4

In the second game, Penn State Altoona played Washington (4-2) close before the game got out of hand late.

Colledge went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI to lead the Lady Lions at the plate. Hewitt scored three runs and hit a double.

Burge again started in the circle, pitching three innings and giving up just one earned run. Olivia Miller (West Newton, PA/Yough) took the loss after pitching the final four innings.

"Jayde pitched really well today," said Merilli. "We need to watch home much we're pitching her and keep her innings and pitch count down. Right now, we're just kind of shorthanded in the circle, so we're working through that."

Penn State Altoona tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from Colledge, and Hewitt scored on an outfield error in the third to knot the score again at 2-2.

Trailing 5-2 in the sixth, Colledge's two-run double to left-center cut the Washington lead to 5-4. But Washington went on to plate seven runs in the top of the seventh, increasing its lead to 12-4.

Penn State Altoona softball returns to action tomorrow, Monday, March 9 for a pair of games at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex. The Lady Lions will take on Gordon College at 10:30 a.m., followed by Nebraska Wesleyan University at 12:45 p.m.