CLEARWATER, Fla.- The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team got the 2014 season started in fine fashion on Friday night with a 3-2 victory over Florida Southern in their opening game at the Eckerd College Invitational. The Sailfish and Moccasins took to the Eddie C. Moore Complex with sophomore Amber Johnson outdueling her opponent as PBA held on for a 3-2 win.

The Sailfish (1-0) began what will be a busy weekend of softball by playing errorless ball in their first official action of the season while rattling off 11 total hits. Seniors Jen Hunter and Mackenzie Johnson stole the show with a 4-for-4 performance from Hunter while Johnson went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs batted in.

The ‘Fish got on the board first on Friday night as senior Mackenzie Johnson launched a solo homerun in the second inning to put PBA up early.

Johnson struck again an inning later when she drew a bases-loaded walk in the third inning to move up 2-0. Florida Southern (0-1) would answer with runs of their own in the bottom of the third and fourth innings to tie things back up at 2-2.

The game-winning RBI for the Sailfish came via freshman Shelby Wood who came away with a sacrifice fly as pinch-runner Lauren Powell came home to score the go-ahead run.

Johnson went the distance in the pitcher’s circle by tossing seven strong innings, allowing seven hits with two earned runs while walking two and striking out three.

PBA will be back to the diamond at 11 am on Saturday versus Eckerd and a 1:30 pm matchup with the University of Tampa.