FRUITPORT – On a cold day so early in the season, it would have been easy for the Fruitport softball team to roll over and settle for a loss after surrendering a nice lead.

But the Trojans didn’t give up when they fell behind. Instead they pulled themselves together and battled back for a 15-12 victory over Montague in their season opener on Tuesday.

The Trojans led 11-8 before surrendering four runs in the top of the fifth inning and falling behind 12-11.

But just three batters into the bottom half of the inning, the Trojans gained a 13-12 lead thanks to a Kendall Lee single, an Olive Staal double and a two-run Brooklyn Russell double.

Fruitport’s Brooklynn Russell, who knocked in the two final go-ahead runs for the Trojans. Photo/Andrew Johnson

The Trojans added two more runs in the inning on RBI hits by Addie Kohnke and Mylee Mineri, then walked away with the satisfaction of knowing they pulled victory from the jaws of defeat to start the new season.

“I’m just trying to have fun,” said Russell about her clutch double that regained the lead for Fruitport “It felt really good. I know my teammates have my back and I’m just trying to get hyped for them by having fun.”

The team’s ability to respond wasn’t lost on veteran Fruitport coach Bob Dorman.

“That’s exactly what we wanted,” Dorman said about the rally. “They didn’t hang their heads and they took back the lead. I couldn’t be more proud. We answered real quick.”

Russell pitched a clean final two innings to help the Trojans hold on after clawing their way back on top.

Russell gets ready to deliver a pitch. Photo/Andrew Johnson

“I think the fifth inning showed it all,” Dorman said, when asked about what he learned about his team on Tuesday. “We’re resilient. We’ll hit one through nine, and we did that in the first inning. We want exactly that and when we do that, we’ll be very good.”

The Trojans started the game with a four run first inning behind Kohnke and Brylee Dewitt, who each had RBI hits.

The lead was extended to 7-0 in the second inning when Russell and Kohnke knocked in runs.

Montague responded with five runs in the top of the third inning to cut the Trojan lead to 7-5.

Fruitport’s Teagon Schults drives a liner toward third base. Photo/Andrew Johnson

In the home half of third inning, Fruitport brought across four runs to extend the lead to 11-5. Lee and Russell each had RBIs in the inning for the Trojans.

Montague once again cut into the deficit in the fourth inning, making the score 11-8 before bringing four runs home in the fifth to take a 12-11 lead.

That lead didn’t hold as the Trojans used the four-run fifth inning rally to bring home the victory.

Fruitport will now be off for spring break before returning to action on April 11 in a home doubleheader against Allendale.