NORFOLK, VA – The Saint Peter's softball team (1-1) opened the 2026 season by splitting day one of a three-game series against the Norfolk State Spartans Saturday afternoon. The Peacocks claimed game one, 6-2, before falling 6-0 in the second contest.
Morgan Lipansky (1-0) secured the season's first win in the opener, tossing a complete game while allowing just two earned runs on four hits and striking out nine. The Peacocks totaled nine hits and six RBIs, with
Hannah Klotz and
Danni Forrester leading the way at the plate. Both went 2-for-4, while freshman Forrester recorded a pair of doubles.
In game two,
Brielle Coppola (0-1) was charged with the loss after pitching 2.1 innings and allowing five earned runs on seven hits.
Gabriella Rivera made her collegiate debut in relief, surrendering one earned run on five hits while striking out three. Saint Peter's collected seven hits in game two, with Klotz again pacing the offense with a 2-for-3 effort.
GAME ONE
The Peacocks and Spartans were scoreless through the first two innings before Saint Peter's broke through in the third. A single up the middle, a stolen base from rookie
Paige Seemon, and another base hit by
Olivia Christopher put runners in scoring position for Klotz, who lined a shot down the left-field line to bring in the first run of the season.
Saint Peter's added two more in the fourth to extend the lead to 3-0. Forrester opened the inning with a double, and
Angela Tremarco laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her to third. A Norfolk State throwing error allowed Forrester to score, and
Angelina Wagner followed with a double to right field to bring home
Carlee Charles.
The Peacocks continued to apply pressure in the fifth. Forrester delivered her second double of the afternoon, sending a ball into right-center to score Klotz from first and make it 4-0.
Norfolk State responded in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homer to right field, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
Saint Peter's answered immediately in the seventh. After a hit-by-pitch and a walk put runners on, a groundout moved both into scoring position for
Kiana Kadena Matsuda. The junior delivered with a deep single into right-center, driving in Seemon and Christopher to push the lead to 6-2 and seal the opening-day victory.
GAME TWO
Norfolk State struck first in game two, using a two-out rally in the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead behind a double and back-to-back singles. The Spartans broke the game open in the third, scoring four runs on a pair of singles, two doubles, a steal of home plate, and a wild pitch to extend the lead to 5-0.
Saint Peter's threatened in the fourth. Klotz singled to left, and Kadena Matsuda followed with a base hit through the left side to put two on with no outs. Charles later singled up the middle to advance the runners, but a foul out and a fly out ended the scoring opportunity.
Norfolk State added an insurance run in the fourth on a solo home run to left-center from centerfielder Kailey Bryant.
The Peacocks showed life again in the sixth when Klotz led off with another single. Kadena Matsuda laid down a sacrifice bunt to move her into scoring position, and a third baseman error put runners on the corners with two outs. However, a groundout to the pitcher ended the threat.
Saint Peter's went down in order in the seventh as the Spartans secured the split on opening day.
UP NEXT
The Peacocks conclude the series against Norfolk State on Sunday, March 1, with first pitch set for 12 p.m. at NSU Softball Field.
For continuing coverage of Saint Peter's University Athletics, visit SaintPetersPeacocks.com and follow the Peacocks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
