Hamilton College's Natalie Beebe '24 recorded her first career shutout and the Continentals split a pair of non-conference games at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla., on Thursday.
 
Hamilton (5-1 overall) blanked University of Wisconsin-Platteville 3-0 before the Continentals were edged 5-4 by Hood College. Hamilton takes on University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and St. Lawrence University on Friday, March 18 at Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont. The first pitch of the opener is scheduled for 9:15 a.m.
 
Wisconsin-Platteville
 
Beebe improved to 2-0 this season as she scattered eight hits, struck out eight and didn't walk a batter in seven innings. She added a solo home run – her first with the Continentals -- that gave them a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.
 
Ella Heftved '25 was 2-for-2 with a walk and a double, and Vicky Dunn '22 was 2-for-2 and scored two runs. Heftved is hitting .545 and Dunn's batting average is .389.
 
Hamilton made it 2-0 in the third inning. Dunn and Katlynn McGivney '23 led off with back-to-back singles and moved up on a sacrifice bunt. Heftved's bunt single drove in Dunn.
 
The Continentals scored the last run in the fifth inning. Dunn opened with a single to left-center field and stole second base. She went to third on a groundout and scored on an infield single by Emma Tansky '25.
 
Hood
 
The Blazers scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, another in the second, and handed Hamilton its first loss. The Continentals trailed 5-1 after five innings and nearly came back to tie after scoring two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. Hamilton left the tying run on base in the final inning.
 
McGivney recorded two hits and scored two runs. Tansky singled, doubled and pitched three shutout innings of relief. Beebe extended her streak of not allowing an earned run to 13 innings. She allowed an unearned run on five hits and fanned three in three innings of relief.
 
The Continentals briefly took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. McGivney led off with a single up the middle, stole second base and only made it to third on a double to left field by Tansky. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Heftved.
 
Hamilton pulled within two runs at 5-3 in the sixth. McGivney started the inning with an infield single and Tansky and McGivney were both safe on a fielder's choice. Beebe drove in both runners with a double to right center, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple.
 
The Continentals cut their deficit to one run in the seventh. Shelby McVey '22 reached on an error, advanced to third on an error, and scored on yet another miscue. Hood committed all three of its errors in the inning.