WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic softball team hosted Florida National in a doubleheader at Simpson Field on Saturday.

The Sailfish took both games against the Conquistadors, highlighted by a no-hitter by freshman Rylee Little in her first collegiate start in the circle. The first no-hitter thrown by the Sailfish since Cambria Arturo in 2021. She was backed by eight runs as the Sailfish enacted the run rule, winning 8-0, in five innings. The 'Fish had to battle back twice in game two, but they held on to seal the sweep after a 9-7 win.

PBA is back in action on Feb. 14 against Florida Tech. The first conference game of the season is set for a 6 p.m. first pitch in Melbourne.

Game One – PBA: 8, FNU: 0

Little wasted no time settling into the game. She struck out the side with ease in the top of the second. The Sailfish got her some run support in the third. Kaycee McClellan reached on a fielder's choice with two outs in the bottom of the third. Evoni Rodriguez drove her in with an RBI triple. Rodriguez scored on an RBI double to left field from Larken Maseda. After a single up the middle from Marli Szierer, Olivia Zimmerman made it 3-0 with a single through the right side to score Maseda. Chloe Nepvuex broke the game open with a two-run double to drive in Szierer and Zimmerman. The 'Fish tacked on another run with a single to left field by Kaitlyn Campbell, making it 6-0.

That was plenty of run support for Little, who did not allow a baserunner in the fourth or fifth innings. Zimmerman singled to start the bottom of the fifth. A single up the middle by Nepveux put runners on first and second with no outs. An error by the Conquistadors allowed one run to score. Daylin Hejtmanek drove in the game-ending run with a single to right, clinching the 8-0 win.

Little tossed five no-hit innings in the win. She finished with six strikeouts, two walks, and one hit batter. O'Brien, Szierer, Zimmerman, and Nepveux finished with two hits each. Nepveux led the team with a pair of RBIs. Rodriguez and Maseda recorded one walk and one hit each. The 'Fish totaled 12 hits as a team.

Game Two – PBA: 9, FNU: 7

The Conquistadors offense awoke to start the second game. The visitors scored four runs on four hits with a pair of walks to take an early 4-0 lead after the first inning. PBA answered in the bottom of the second. Madison Schlichte walked, Campbell reached on an infield single, and Hejtmanek singled through the right side to load the bases with no outs. A single up the middle from O'Brien drove in a pair of runs to make it 4-2. McClellan sent a flyball to leftfield deep enough to score Hejtmanek. With two outs, Little came through with the bat, sending a triple to right-centerfield to tie the game at four.

A bases-loaded walk in the third put the 'Fish in the lead, 5-4. Little started the fourth with her second triple of the game and scored on a Szierer sac fly to make it 6-4. After the rough first inning, Ashlyn Storms settled in, pitching four scoreless innings.

FNU broke through again in the sixth. A pair of walks and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with one out. A single to centerfield scored a pair of runs to tie the game at six. Lacy Marty entered the game in relief, but a Conquistadors double gave FNU a 7-6 lead.

PBA bounced back in the sixth. Rodriguez led off with a triple. Little tied the game at seven after a bloop single to center field. Szierer singled through the left side to put runners on first and second. That set up an RBI double from Nepveux into center field, making it 8-7. Szierer scored on a fielder's choice to make it 9-7. FNU walked to start the seventh, but Marty slammed the door with a strikeout and a double play to end the game, 9-7.

Little and Nepveux led the 'Fish offense with three hits each. O'Brien, Rodriguez, Campbell, and Hejtmanek tallied two hits each. O'Brien led the 'Fish with three RBIs. Storms tossed 5.1 innings, giving up seven earned runs on eight hits with five walks and three strikeouts. Lacy Marty got the win, pitching 1.2 innings of relief. She did not give up an earned run with one walk, one hit, and one strikeout.