GULF SHORES, Ala. – After being rained out on Friday, the Palm Beach Atlantic softball team opened its season on Saturday with games against No. 17 West Florida and Lee.

The Sailfish played their first two games under new head coach Ty Singleton. PBA nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback against UWF in the first game, but the 'Fish left the bases stranded as their comeback fell short, 3-2. PBA faced a similar situation in game two, trailing 4-3 in the seventh inning. Meredith Milam and Briana Rodriguez came up in the clutch in the top of the inning to help the Sailfish steal a 6-5 victory over Lee.

PBA concludes its time in Gulf Shores on Sunday with games against Montevallo and Union. The first pitch of game one is scheduled for 10 am eastern time. 

Game one: No. 17 UWF 4, PBA 3

PBA had leadoff base hits in the first two innings but came up empty.  The Argos started the third inning with a bunt-single and stolen base to put a runner on second with no outs. The runner scored on a throwing error on a bunt attempt to score the first run. A single and walk loaded the bases, setting up a bases-loaded walk to make it 2-0.

The Argos added an insurance run in the third thanks to two hits and a wild pitch. Chloe Nepveux made her first collegiate appearance in the circle as a reliever in the inning. She prevented UWF from adding to its lead, stranding a runner on second.

The Sailfish got on the board in the sixth inning thanks to a two-out RBI single from Janie McCloskey to drive in Emma Gipson. Maura Glatczak kept the rally going with a single of her own, but PBA stranded a pair of runners. The 'Fish tried to stay alive in the seventh. Hayley Haas led off the inning with a double and advanced on a passed ball. Milam, the tying run, walked to put runners on first and third. An error by the third baseball allowed Haas to score and put runners on second and third. Gipson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs, but UWF shut the door on the PBA comeback to hold on and win, 4-3.

McCloskey led the 'Fish with two hits and an RBI. Cambria Arturo got the start in the circle. She pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one earned run with three strikeouts. Nepveux allowed one hit in 2.2 scoreless innings of relief.

Game two: PBA 6, Lee 5

The second game followed a similar script as game one with Lee taking a 2-0 lead in the third inning off two hits, a walk, and a hit by pitch. It was McCloskey, yet again, starting the scoring for the Sailfish. Singles by Rodriguez and Budnovich set up a 3-run home run by the senior to give PBA a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning.  Lee answered with a home run of its own in the bottom of the fourth to regain a 4-3 lead.

The seventh inning of game two featured more drama. Isabella Hernandez started the Sailfish rally in the top of the seventh by hitting a line drive off the pitcher's leg for a single with one out. A walk by Elisa Grande put runners on first and second. The game nearly ended on a double play as a groundball to first allowed the field to tag the bag and attempt a throw in rhythm to first, but Grande just beat the throw to second. With runners on second and third, Milam came through in the clutch with a double to give PBA a 5-4 lead. Rodriguez drove in Milam for a key insurance run to make it 6-4. Lee showed signs of life with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, but Karen Vasquez regrouped and closed out the 6-5 victory for PBA.

Rodriguez led PBA with two hits, one RBI, one run, and a stolen base. Milam finished with one double, two RBIs, and one run. Grande recorded a double, one walk, and one run in addition to her duties behind the plate where she threw out one runner trying to steal second.

Lacy Marty made her Sailfish debut as the starter in the circle. She tossed four innings with four earned runs on four hits and two walks. Vasquez replaced her in the fifth inning, pitching three innings with two hits, one earned run, and one walk with a strikeout.