ABERDEEN, S.D. – The College of Saint Mary softball team had a rough start to the season Friday.

The Flames suffered two losses at the Presentation College Dome Classic. CSM lost 20-3 to NCAA Division 2 Minnesota State University-Moorhead and then the Flames lost 10-6 to Dickinson State University.

"We couldn't do anything right the first game," CSM Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said. "Moorhead has a great team but we beat ourselves. The errors just kept snowballing."

The Flames finished with seven errors on paper and just three hits. Moorhead committed one error and had 16 hits.

"Our defense couldn't get us out of innings," Bray said. "Megan Garcia (SO/Elkhorn, Neb.) was out there pitching decent and giving up ground balls and then we couldn't make any plays behind her. It was tough to watch."

Perhaps the lone highlight was freshman Kaela Persico (FR/Bellevue, Neb.) getting her first collegiate home run in her first at bat. It was a three-run homer for CSM's only scoring. Izzy Monzon (SR/Lincoln, Neb.) and Macy Homes (SR/Wahoo, Neb.) added the other two hits for the Flames.

Garcia suffered the loss. She was relieved by both Daisy Lowther (FR/Bennington, Neb.) and Kymber Shallenberger (SO/Scottsbluff, Neb.).

The Flames played much better in the second game, but still left with a loss.

CSM opened the top of the first inning with back-to-back homers from Homes and Persico to go up 2-0. But Dickinson answered with five runs in the bottom of the first and added another two runs in the second frame.

Both teams scored one run in the third inning. The Flames closed the gap with three runs in the fifth inning – including a first collegiate home run from Lowther – to bring the score to 8-6. The Blue Hawks added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to cap the scoring.

Mickayla Larsen (SR/Waverly, Neb.) pitched the complete game. She gave up 11 hits, walked five and struck out five.

The Flames also had 11 hits – led by three from Garcia, two from Homes and Persico and one each from Larsen, Lowther, Sydney Griffin (SO/Lincoln, Neb.) and Mack Madrigal (SO/Omaha, Neb.).

"We hit really well in the second game," Bray said. "Even some of our outs were hit really well against Dickinson. And for two of our freshmen to come out and hit homers in their very first collegiate games is impressive."

The Flames return to play Sunday with games against Dickinson State and Valley City State University.

"We are young and we are inexperienced," Bray said. "We know that. But we need to learn from these games and continue to make progress."