PULASKI, Tenn. – An offensive barrage was showcased on opening weekend for Grace's softball team.

The Lady Lancers went 3-1 at the Martin Methodist Meltdown, including a five-inning win over Bryan who was receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Clarissa Knight was an offensive force to be reckoned with over the weekend, finishing with 11 hits in 13 at-bats (.846 average). She tripled twice, stole two bases, scored five runs and drove in a team-high 10 RBIs in just four games.

Samantha Johnson hit .778 for the weekend, scoring five runs and stealing three bases. Brooke Shell had seven hits on a .583 average, scoring five times and hitting a triple, and Ashley Kleinbub had the first home run of the season and batted .500.

The Lady Lancers started the season playing the tournament's host Martin Methodist, winning 12-10 in eight innings. Grace led 6-1, but Martin Methodist rallied with a six-run fifth inning.

Grace scored three runs over the final two innings, but the hosts tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh. In the eighth, Knight tripled to score one run, Kati Gregory plated another with a sac fly, and Kleinbub blasted a solo home run to provide the insurance Grace needed to win.

The second game of the day was against Benedict-Springfield, which Grace run-ruled 13-3 in five innings. Grace blindsided Benedict with nine runs in the first inning to ease away for victory. Knight was 4-for-4 with four RBIs, and Kleinbub was 3-for-3.

Saturday featured a pair of teams in the receiving votes section of the NAIA poll. Grace started off with a bang against Bryan, winning 10-0 in a run-ruled game. Amanda Bowman tossed a gem from the mound, giving up five hits, no walks and no runs with five strikeouts in a complete-game shutout. Nine different players notched a hit against Bryan.

The weekend ended with a 13-1 defeat against Campbellsville. Although both teams had six hits, Grace had five fielding errors to hurt its own cause. The Tigers had six extra-base hits compared to none for Grace.

With a team batting average of .439, Grace's offense seems to be clicking in midseason mode after the opening weekend. The Lady Lancers will take two weeks off before kicking off their Spring Break trip to Clermont, Fla. While in Florida, Grace will play three games against teams either ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA poll, including a Feb. 28 game against No. 23 Davenport.