CLERMONT, Fla. – The historic 10-game unbeaten run to start the season for the Wesleyan softball team came to an end on Tuesday as the Cardinals were handed a pair of defeats in the team's final day of their spring break trip in Florida. Wesleyan (10-2) was defeated by Endicott 3-1 and Keene State 4-3 in eight innings.
 
Facing an Endicott team that had beaten the Cardinals in each of the past two seasons in Florida, the Cardinals fell behind right from the jump as the Gulls plated three runs in the 1^st inning. A costly error with one out came back to bite Wesleyan as Endicott plated all three runs with two outs in the inning.
 
Wesleyan's offense came to life in the 3^rd inning, getting two runners on-base, but Lizzie Marino '25 grounded out to first to end the frame. Then in the 4^th inning, Wesleyan had runners on first and third with two outs for Kelly Baker '26 who reached on an error. That Endicott miscue allowed Bella Tassone '24, G'25 to score from third but further damage was limited as a strikeout finished the inning with the Gulls still out in front, 3-1.
 
The Cardinals threatened again in the 5^th inning as two more Endicott errors brought the go-ahead run to the plate as Isabella Seciara-Cotto '25 hit a liner out to center, but it was hauled in by the Gulls to finish the inning.
 
A last ditch effort in the 7^th inning saw Molly Lennon '26 and Marino reach base with two outs for Jacelyn Lees '28 who popped up to short to finish the game.
 
Errors plagued both sides as the Cardinals and Gulls each committed five errors. All four runs scored in the game were unearned. Abby Orso G'25 struck out five and allowed three hits and three runs (all unearned) in a four-inning start. Lees came on at the start of the 5^th and worked three shutout innings of relief, giving up just one hit.
 
In the nightcap against Keene State, a back-and-forth game required extra innings to determine a winner. Wesleyan led 1-0 early before the Owls scored two in the 3^rd inning to take their first lead. Secaira-Cotto, the game two starting pitcher, helped her own cause with a go-ahead two-run home run out to left field in the top of the 5^th inning that gave the Cardinals a 3-2 lead.
 
The Owls came back and tied the score in bottom of the 5^th. Wesleyan left two runners on in the 7^th inning and after a scoreless bottom half, the game went into extra innings.
 
Placing a runner on second base, Wesleyan failed to score in the top of the 8^th and Keene State executed a bunt play to move their runner over to third with one out. A sacrifice fly from the next batter proved enough for a walk-off winner for the Owls.
 
Secaira-Cotto's homer is her second of the season while Ella DeCrescenzo '27 went 2-for-4 at the plate.  Secaira-Cotto worked five innings and allowed just one earned run with no walks in the start. Baker came on and threw well in relief, allowing just one hit and no walks, taking the hard luck loss in extras.
 
The Cardinals shift into NESCAC play this weekend as Wesleyan plays host to Bowdoin for a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 PM.