FERRUM, VA. – The Wilkes University softball squad hit the road to begin their 2020 campaign down south against Ferrum College. 
 
The Colonels (0-2) fell to the Panthers (8-0), ranked 25th in the latest NFCA Coaches Poll, losing the first game 9-1 and the second 4-2.
 
The Colonels struck first in the opening game, with a sacrifice fly from senior Celine Podlesney (Hazle Twp., PA/Hazleton) scoring senior Rachel Pritchard (Wilmington, DE/Concord) in the second inning.  The Panthers responded with a two RBI single in the third inning.  A seven-run sixth inning by the Panthers put away the game and gave Pritchard the loss. 
 
Four Colonels had hits in the affair, while Pritchard had three strikeouts in five innings pitched in the losing effort.  Panthers pitcher Ashton Lambeath pitched all six innings, allowing only one earned run in a complete game.
 
A three-run Panther first inning put the Colonels in an early hole in the second game.  The bats of both squads went quiet until the fifth inning, when a Pritchard double brought in a pair of runs to put the Colonels within one.  Ferrum added another run in the bottom of the fifth and the Colonels couldn't find the runs they needed to fall in the second game 4-2.
 
Podlesnay pitched five innings and threw four strikeouts in the losing effort.  Junior Jordyn Kondras (Willow Street, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) batted 2-for-4 with a run.
 
The Colonels continue their trip down south to start the Snowbird Tournament on Monday.  They match up against Gwynedd Mercy at 11:30 a.m. before going to bat against Otterbein at 3:30 p.m.  Wilkes is 0-1 against Gwynedd Mercy in the live stats era, while this is the first time they have met Otterbein in the live stats era.