MADEIRA BEACH, Florida – The Marist softball team closed out play at the Eastern Michigan Tournament on Sunday with a pair of one-run wins against Providence (3-2) and North Florida (4-3). The Red Foxes closed out the opening weekend of play with a 4-1 record.

Senior shortstop Kyrsten Van Natta and freshman second baseman Brandi Coon each had three hits on the day.

Here is a closer look at each game:

Game One: Marist 3, Providence 2

The Red Foxes broke open a scoreless tie by scoring all three runs in the top of the fourth. Van Natta started the rally with a single. She then stole second, and came in on a single by senior center fielder Colleen McWilliams. An error moved McWilliams to third, and she scored on an infield single by Coon. A sacrifice fly by sophomore right fielder Kourtney Paul brought in junior catcher Rebecca Freeman, who walked and stole second earlier in the inning.

Providence answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Paul threw out the potential tying run at third base to end the inning.

Red-shirt junior Jessica Van Alphen (2-0) allowed just one earned run and no walks over five innings for the victory. Junior Jayne Oberdorf shut the Friars out over the final two innings for her first save.

Shortstop Vanessa Portillo went 3-for-3 for Providence. Taylor Huntly (1-1) pitched a complete game.

Game Two: Marist 4, North Florida 3

Marist started fast with two runs in the bottom in the first half. Senior third baseman Maureen Duddy drew a leadoff walk, and scored on a double by Van Natta, who then stole third and scored on a throwing error.

The Red Foxes then added a run in the fifth. McWilliams, junior right fielder Janna Korak and Coon loaded the bases with consecutive singles, and McWilliams was forced home by an illegal pitch.

Marist maintained a 3-0 lead until there were two outs in the top of the seventh. Second baseman Navia Penrod belted a two-run double, which put runners on second on third. A base hit by shortstop Katie Mandigo – her fourth of the game – tied the score, but Penrod was out at the plate on a throw by from freshman center fielder Casey Page to freshman catcher Madison Lee.

Page then led off the bottom of the seventh with a bunt single, and stole second. She advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Van Natta. McWilliams and Korak walked to load the bases, and Coon's single to right field brought Page home with the winning run.

Megan Beiermeister (2-0) got the final out in the seventh to record the victory. Brooke Peterson started and went the first 6.2 innings, taking a shutout into the seventh.

Marist will return to action the weekend of March 4-6, when the Red Foxes play five games in the George Mason Tournament. Marist will open play against Army West Point on Friday, March 4 at 6 p.m.