WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team began its series with Tampa on Friday night.

The Spartans entered today's game as the No. 9-ranked team in the NFCA top-25. Tampa got revenge on a Sailfish team that came on top against the Spartans in four of the last five meetings between the two teams. Tampa ended things early, winning 11-0 in six innings.

PBA totaled four hits and three walks in the game on offense. Cambria Arturo got the start in the circle. She surrendered six earned runs with five runs being unearned due to errors from the Sailfish defense. She gave up 12 hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

The Spartans got ahead early in the game by taking advantage of a defensive miscue by the Sailfish. The error allowed UT to take a 3-0 lead on one hit, two walks, and a hit batter. Meredith Milam led off the bottom with a walk to attempt to spark a Sailfish rally, but she was left stranded on first. 

Katherine Budnovich and Emma Gipson produced a pair of hits for the Sailfish in the fourth, but a double play killed the PBA momentum. 

Tampa added to its lead with a solo home run in the fifth. The game got unmanageable when the Spartans scored seven runs in the sixth off seven hits, a walk, and an error. PBA loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning to try to keep the game alive but came up empty.

The teams conclude their series on Saturday with a doubleheader. The first pitch at Simpson Field is scheduled for noon.