HARTFORD, Conn. -- The host Trinity College Bantams grabbed the early lead and the Bates softball team couldn't quite complete the rally in a 7-4 loss for the Bobcats Sunday morning in NESCAC action. 

Trinity (8-6, 3-0 NESCAC) scored three runs in the bottom of the first as Alyssa Gazivoda, Alex Chambers, and Kennedy Rogers each tallied first at bat RBIs.

Bates (3-8, 0-3 NESCAC) answered with two in the second. First-year Sarah Cooke (Wenham, Mass.) singled to right field to start the frame. She stole second and senior captain Emily Samar (New York City) singled her to third. A pair of RBI ground outs from junior Cassidy Musco (Walpole, Mass.) and senior Aleah Pagan (Orinda, Calif.) plated Cooke and Samar respectively, trimming the deficit to 3-2. 

But the Bantams never surrendered their first inning lead, as Rogers ripped her second-straight RBI double in the third inning to once again score Chambers from first, making the score 4-2.

In the top of the fourth, sophomore Rachel Liazos (Westborough, Mass.) doubled to start the frame. Two outs later, Musco singled her home to cut the Trinity lead to 4-3. 

The Bantams answered right away as Gianna Tito reached on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Russell from third and making the score 5-3 through four innings. 

Then in the sixth, Taylor Mikolajczak reached on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder which enabled her to take second as Maura Keary scored from third. Gazivoda grounded out to short, scoring Mikolajczak from third to give Trinity a 7-3 lead. 

Bates got one back in the top of the seventh. Senior Kennedy Ishii (Honolulu, Hawaii) walked to start the frame. A Trinity error put runners on second and third with nobody out. Junior Lindsey Kim (Palo Alto, Calif.) drove in Ishii with a sacrifice fly to center. With two down, Liazos got hit by a pitch, bringing the tying run to the plate. But Cooke flew out to end the game. 
 
Rogers and Gazivoda each registered a pair of RBIs while Mikolajczak, Chambers and Tito each tallied one for the Bantams. Rogers went 2-for-3, Mikolajczak finished with one hit and one run scored and Chambers went 1-for-3 with two runs scored. Tiffany Stowers earned the win for the Bantams in the circle, pitching four innings as Jordan Stephan relieved her in the fifth. The two right-handers combined for seven strikeouts. 

Musco and first-year Maggie Hillwig (Phoenix, Md.) tallied two hits each for Bates but the Bobcats left eight runners stranded in the game. Hillwig (1-6) took the loss in the circle, giving up five runs on seven hits in three and a third innings.

The Bobcats are back in action Wednesday when they host Thomas College for a doubleheader in the home opener for the softball team. First pitch is set for 3pm.