CLERMONT, Fla. - - The Wilmington University softball team closed out its annual Florida trip with a pair of losses to Winona State, 12-3, and Tiffin, 8-3, late in the afternoon on Thursday at the national Training Center.

The Wildcats (3-11 overall) finished the trip to Clermont with 2-10 overall, dropping five of the games by two or fewer runs. Two of the losses came against NFCA Nationally Ranked opponents.

On Thursday, Wilmington ran into a buzz saw that was Winona State, as the Warriors won each of their six games in Florida prior to playing the Wildcats. The Warriors scored at least one run in each inning played, scoring four in the top of the fifth to put the eight-run rule into effect.

Miranda Pedersen put the Wildcats on the board in the bottom of the second inning, hitting a solo home run to lead off the frame. The Wildcats came back to tack two more runs on in the bottom of the third to bring the team to within four at 7-3.

Kelsey Doherty started the third inning off with a single before coming around to score on an RBI single from Michelle Panasiti. Following another hit from Pedersen, Ashley Bennett reach on an error by the first baseman, allowing Panasiti to come home for the inning's second run. With the bases loaded and two outs, Warrior pitcher Ashley Walker was able to escape further damage by recording a strikeout to end the inning.

Winona State came to the plate and added a single run in the fourth before tacking on four more in the top of the fifth. The Wildcats went quietly in each home half, bringing the game to a close after five innings.

After trailing early in the nightcap, the Wildcats fought back to tie the game, 3-3, after the top of the fifth inning, but Tiffin responded with five runs over its last two at-bats to capture the victory.

Trailing 2-0, Pedersen started the top of the fourth with a double to left field. Now with runners on first and second and one out, Cambria Ziemba doubled to center field to bring around Pedersen. With runners on second and third again, the Wildcats were unable to bring in the tying or go-ahead run as the final two batters of the inning recorded outs.

Tiffin retaliated with a run of its own in the bottom of the fourth inning before the Wildcats battled back to tie the game in the top of the fifth.  Following a leadoff single by Meghan Logullo, Panasiti brought her home with an RBI double with one out, closing the gap to 3-2. Now with two outs, and runners on first and third, Katrina Swank singled into left field, bringing home Panasiti with the game-tying run.

But the Wildcats were unable to keep the momentum, as Tiffin responded with a three run fifth inning before adding a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Pedersen batted 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI in the doubleheader while Panasiti and Logullo also collected three hits each in the two games.

Junior Chelsea Botsch recorded six strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work against Tiffin, but took the loss as she allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits. Senior Stephanie Sarris tossed all five innings against Winona State, falling to 2-3 on the year with the loss.

Wilmington has little time to recover from 10 games in seven days, as the Wildcats begin their trek in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference on Saturday. The team is set to host the Golden Falcons for their first games of the year at Asbury Field, starting at 2 p.m.