Darkness ended the Washington University softball team’s attempt to salvage a win at its season opening weekend.

The No 7. Bears fell 4-2 on Friday to host Rhodes College in the season opener before tying with No. 19 Transylvania University on Sunday at the Chick-fil-A Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Tied 4-4 with Transylvania after seven innings, the teams skipped extra innings and agreed on a draw to prevent playing in the dark.

“I was really impressed with our defense compared to years past,” head coach Leticia Pineda-Boutté said. “Typically, this time of the year its tough to adjust [to being outside for the first time].”

Wash. U. held the upper hand against Transylvania as sophomore pitcher Kathy Peter limited the Pioneers to two hits in the first four innings. Sophomore Sondra Polonsky got the Bears on the board first with an RBI double in the fourth inning. The Red and Green then jumped on the Pioneers with a three-run fifth inning, anchored by back-to-back two-out home runs by seniors Ally Berenter and Claire Voris. Freshman Maggie Mullen was retired on a groundout to end the inning.

“We have a lot of solid hitters and saw spurts of good,” junior co-captain Corissa Santos said.

But the Pioneers were not out of the running. Peter allowed one run in the fifth inning before turning the mound over to junior Olivia Cook at the top of the sixth. Cook, battling back from a sprained wrist, struggled in her season debut, allowing two hits and an error before recording her first out.

The Pioneers knotted the score, pushing across three runs in an aggressive comeback. However, the final inning was quick for both teams as the sides were retired before the game was called.

In the team’s season opener, the first three innings against Rhodes were a pitcher’s duel between Voris and the Lynx’ Cindy Bitters, as neither pitcher surrendered a run.

The Bears struck first, snapping the scoreless tie in the fourth inning with an explosive debut. Mullen opened her collegiate career with a bang, hitting a two-run home run for her first hit as a Bear.

“She’s shown that she can be a starter,” Pineda-Boutté said. “It’s pretty special for her first hit in her collegiate career.”

Mullen’s shot was all the Bears could muster on offense, while the Lynx came back with a large fifth inning. Voris gave up three hits in a row to load the bases before striking out two Rhodes players. But with a single pitch, the tables were turned and Rhodes scored their first two runs on a single to center field. This was followed by another two-run single before the side was retired on a strike out.

Despite the winless weekend, the Bears are focused on the positives. Besides the home runs from three different players, sophomore Ashley Janssen went three-for-four from the lead-off spot against Rhodes.

“We have a lot more to look forward to this season,“ Berenter said.

The Bears play MacMurray College, The University of Dallas and Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. this weekend before competing in the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship over Spring Break. “With a few more games and a little more time on the dirt, we’ll be ready for UAAs,” Berenter said.