WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team began a home series against No. 3-ranked Tampa on Friday night.

The Sailfish played a clean defensive ballgame and received a strong performance in the circle from Karen Vasquez. Unfortunately for the 'Fish, the offense mustered three baserunners in the game and was shut out. The Spartans took game one of the series 2-0.

The eight and nine hitters for PBA showed some fight at the plate. Madison Schlichte and Rhiannon Sibbett notched the team's two hits. Larken Maseda reached on a UT error. The Spartans entered the day averaging five runs per game, but Vasquez held the visitors on two runs on eight hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

The game was scoreless for the first four innings of action. Tampa broke through in the top of the fifth after a leadoff single followed by a wild pitch and a double, making it 1-0. A sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly gave the Spartans a 2-0 advantage. The Sailfish had runners on in the third, fourth, and fifth innings but failed to bring anyone around to score.

The Sailfish look to bounce back on Saturday with a doubleheader against the Spartans. The first pitch at Simpson Field takes place at noon.