ABERDEEN, S.D. – Defensive struggles continued for the College of Saint Mary softball team Saturday.

The Flames lost 10-3 to Dickinson State University and then lost 13-1 to Valley City State University in the Presentation College Dome Classic.

"We continue to hurt ourselves defensively," CSM Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said. "We are not making easy routine plays consistently and that is leaving our pitchers out in the circle for very long innings. We're moving people around and giving different athletes opportunities, but we are struggling to have people step up right now."

In the first game, the Flames had some defensive issues early that led to Dickinson taking an early lead in the first inning. The Blue Hawks scored two in the first inning, one in the third, three in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a 7-0 advantage.

Both teams scored three runs in the seventh inning to end the scoring at 10-3.

Megan Garcia (SO/Elkhorn, Neb.) took the loss. She pitched three innings, allowed four hits and walked two. Daisy Lowther (FR/Bennington, Neb.) came on in relief and also pitched three frames. She surrendered six hits. Kymber Shallenberger (SO/Scottsbluff, Neb.) pitched the final frame. She gave up four hits and walked one.

The Flames had 11 hits in the game – led by two each from Izzy Monzon (SR/Lincoln, Neb.), Morgan Ethen (SR/Omaha, Neb.) and Kayla Reed (FR/Albuquerque, NM). Recording one hit each were Macy Homes (SR/Wahoo, Neb.), Kaela Persico (FR/Bellevue, Neb.), Lowther, Garcia and Schewe. The hit from Homes was a double.

"We finished with 11 hits – which is great," Bray said. "But we also struck out nine times and left a lot of runners in scoring position."

In the second game, CSM gave up eight runs in the opening inning, before settling down for five scoreless innings. Valley City added another five runs in the seventh frame.

The Flames scored their lone run in the fourth inning.

CSM had six hits and four errors. The Vikings finished with 15 hits and one error.

Monzon led the Flames with two hits, while Persico, Larsen, Mack Madrigal (SO/Omaha, Neb.) and Taylor Hrabik (FR/Omaha, Neb.) had one each.

Larsen started on the mound for CSM but was injured in the first inning. Lowther came on in relief.

"We need to make improvements in all three areas of the game – defense, pitching and hitting," Bray said. "A bright spot for us this weekend has definitely been our play in the outfield. The ladies there have been making some big plays."

The Flames drop to 0-4 on the season and play again Sunday in a doubleheader vs. Presentation College.