WINONA LAKE – Cornerstone spoiled the 2013 Grace College home softball debut with a 4-2, 5-1 set of victories on Saturday.

The Lady Lancers were within striking distance in each game of the doubleheader, but they came up short both times.

Batting against Cornerstone’s ace in the opener, Olivia Winget helped the Lady Lancers (4-12) off to an early lead with a double down the right-field line. After a bunt advanced Winget to third base, Sam Fields drilled a hard-hit single to the left side of the infield to plate Winget.

Fields then stole second base and came to third on an overthrow by the catcher. Brittany Thacker next laid down a bunt to the left side of the infield, allowing Fields to score.

Cornerstone was swift in response with a game-tying, two-run home run in the top of the third by Lauren Pasciak.

Pasciak was in on the go-ahead run for the Golden Eagles (12-2) in the top of the fifth inning. Grace committed a two-out error on her ground ball to allow Cornerstone to plate its third run. The Golden Eagles then went ahead 4-2 on a wild pitch.

Grace had a strong opportunity to make up the difference in the bottom of the sixth when they put runners on first and second with nobody out. But the Golden Eagles picked up three straight outs, ending with a long fly out from Sam Fields that traveled near the warning track.

Danielle Wellman finished 2-for-3 in the first game. Olivia Winget allowed two earned runs in a complete-game effort from the mound, yielding six hits and two walks in seven innings.

In the second game of the day, the Golden Eagles claimed an early 4-0 lead thanks to one run in the second and three more tallies in the third.

Grace looked poised to score in the second inning, but a ground out stranded three Lady Lancers on base.

The Lady Lancers’ first hit of the game proved to be a run-scoring double as Winget’s blast to left field in the third inning plated Wellman, cutting Grace’s deficit to 4-1.

But the Lady Lancers were not able to score after that as Cornerstone’s pitching limited Grace to just three hits overall.

Tiffany Featherston, Wellman and Winget recorded hits for the Lady Lancers. Bridget Poteet was credited with the loss on the mound. Alex Shipley pitched four innings in relief, allowing one run and five hits.

Grace is scheduled to play at Miller Field on Monday at 4 p.m. against Purdue North Central, weather permitting.