TUSCON, Ariz. — The Berry College softball team topped No. 3 Linfield on day one of the NFCA Leadoff Classic, earning an opening day split. Berry fell to St. John Fisher 11-7 in game one before besting Linfield 13-8.

Berry improves to 7-2 overall and will continue competition in Arizona tomorrow beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. 

Emily Schechter took the loss in relief in game one, tossing 3.0 innings allowing five runs. Berry trailed by four after the opening frame, but fought back to take the lead in the fourth inning. Lauren Baccari hit an RBI double in the second before a pair of home runs from Makenzie Flynt and Bayleigh Masterson in the third. Berry then drove in three in the fourth off the bats of Hunter Padgett, Bayleigh Masterson and Hannan Razeq. St. John Fisher plated seven in the next two innings to go ahead for good.

Lauren Baccari earned the win against Linfield (previously 11-0), tossing the complete game with four strikeouts. Linfield went up 4-0 in the opening frame before Bayleigh Masterson cut the deficit in half with a two run homer. Linfield plated two more after the fifth inning before the Vikings exploded in the home half of the fifth. Berry plated six runs with a Razeq sacrifice fly, a Lauren Baccari double, a Brooke Whittemore homer and an error. Bacari added another RBI in the sixth before Samantha Crabtree sent a grand slam over the left field wall to put Berry up 13-6. 

Berry takes on Saint Benedict and No. 4 ETBU tomorrow.