RALEIGH, N.C. - The Hood College softball team opened the 2014 season with a split of two single games at the Triangle Classic. The Blazers dropped the season opener to William Peace 7-2, but rebounded for an 8-7 win over Salem in the nightcap.

The host Pacers scored six times in the first three innings to take control of the opener. Half of that damage came during a three-run first inning via a run scoring single by Lindsey Wiggins and a two-run double by Micheala Fox. 

Hood scored both of its runs in the sixth. Amy Hagerdon (Berryville, Va. / Clarke County) led off the inning with a single and Carly Farr (Thurmont, Md. / Catoctin) was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. A passed ball placed the duo in scoring position with one out. An RBI groundout by Jess Sedgwick (Fairfield, Conn. / Cushing Academy) drove in Hagerdon and moved Farr to third. Farr scored on another passed ball later in the inning to make it a 6-2 game.

William Peace got some insurance in the bottom half of the inning to cap the scoring.

Hagerdon had two hits to pace the Blazers' offense. Sedgwick and Jackie Wenzel (Wallingford, Pa. / Strath Haven) both doubled.

Keerstie Robinson (Windsor, Pa. / Northeastern) went the distance inside the circle, but took the loss.

Aaryn Deal picked up the win, throwing six innings and allowing two runson four hits, while striking out five.

Against Salem, Hood overcame a five-run deficit after first inning for the win.

The Blazers cut the deficit to 5-1 in the second inning on back-to-back doubles by Sedgwick and Roo Saglimbeni (Woodbine, Md. / Glenelg). Saglimbeni led off the fourth with a base hit, stole second, and came home on a single by Katie Jenkins (Duncannon, Pa. / Susquenita) to make it a three-run game.

Hood would erupt for six runs in the fifth to take the lead. Hagerdon walked and Farr followed with a single to lead off the inning. Ashley Fourcade (Rockville, Md. / Richard Montgomery) picked up her first run batted in of the year with a single to score Hagerdon. A sacrifice fly by Sedgwick chipped the deficit to 5-4 with one out. Saglimbeni singled, and she and Fourcade advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch. Jenkins picked up her second RBI single of the game, driving in Fourcade to tie the game.

After a pitching change by the Spirits, Laura Lokey (Millville, N.J. / Millville) doubled in Saglimbeni for the go ahead run. Pitcher Jennifer Rutherford (Pheonixville, Pa. / Pheonixville) knocked in Jenkins to make it 7-5 before a Wenzel single plated Lokey for a three-run lead.

In the sixth inning, two errors helped Salem load the bases and score once to cut it to 8-6 before Rutherford pitched out of the jam. Another Hood error allowed a run in the seventh, but Rutherford stranded the potential tying run at second.

Saglimbeni went 3-for-3 with a double and scored twice. Jenkins added a pair of RBI singles. Lokey doubled and walked twice.

Rutherford threw a complete game for the win. 

The Spirits jumped ahead in the first with two-run singles by Morgan Coleman and Allie Watkins. Lauryn Smith was one of three Salem players with two hits, but took the loss in relief.

Hood completes play in the Triangle Classic with a road game against North Carolina Wesleyan at 10 a.m., followed by a noon game with Wilson.