SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – An impressive rally fell by the wayside for College of Saint Mary in a 9-5 nonconference softball loss to Mayville State (N.D.) University on Sunday in the Dordt Tournament at the Dordt Dome.

"It was disappointing to lose this game because we were right in it,'' CSM Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said. "We strung together a bunch of hits in the fourth inning to tie the game, but then gave up more runs right away in the next half-inning.''

Indeed, trailing 5-1, the Flames (2-5) pieced together a four-run bottom of the fourth to jump right back into contention.

Kynzee McFadden led off with a double and scored on Maycee Hays' single. Haley Anderson singled Hays to second. After an out, Makenna Earnest drove in a run and reached on an error, with a second run scoring on the play to pull CSM within 5-4.

With two outs, Kayla Reed singled to right, scoring Earnest with the tying run.

However, Mayville State (3-6) responded with four runs on five hits in the top of the fifth, aided by a CSM error.

Seven of the Flames' nine starters in the batting order hit safely, led by Hays' 2-for-3 effort. Earnest had a double for her lone hit, while Kayla Kitzman scored twice.

"We did some good things,'' Bray said. "Maycee Hays had a great game behind the plate and at the plate. The middle of our order (Maycee, Haley, Kitzman and Kenna) all had quality at-bats. Shay (Campbell) made a diving catch and turned it into a double play.

"The most important thing with these nonconference games is that we get better every time out. We are making some improvements on things that we are working on in practice that might not show up in the box score, but our team knows are happening.''

CSM returns to action Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Shawnee, Kan., against York University.