The 8-under Chelsea Mustangs, dropped the morning game of a round-robin tournament at home Saturday, but battled back with victories over Helena, 9-2, and Columbiana, 14-8.

In the win over Helena, Rachel Ney, Elizabeth Wright, Sarah Cespedes and Katy White all had two hits. Hannah Nuckles had two hits including a double and scored twice.

Kamryn Morrison, Madeline Moody, Gabby Walker, Katie Hodges and Lindsey Howard each had one hit.

Cespedes also pitched two strong innings, striking out five.

Against Columbiana, Nuckles continued her strong hitting with a double and a three-run home run and scored twice. Moody had a double and Wright and Cespedes had two hits each.

In the nightcap, an 11-5 loss to the Chelsea Sting, Nuckles had two more hits, including a three-run triple. Walker had a pair of hits and Morrison, Wright and White had one hit each.

On Friday, the Mustangs used timely hitting and good defensive play to defeat the Chelsea Red Heat, 11-8.

Moody and Cespedes had three hits each to lead the Mustangs. Hodges collected two hits including a double and scored a run. Nuckles had two hits and scored twice.

Walker added two hits, including a triple and scored twice. Ney had one hit and scored a run. Morrison and Gilchrist each scored a run.

In other Chelsea softball games Friday, the 10-under Cyclones defeated the Chelsea Crush in the final inning, 17-16.

Both teams played a hard fought game.

Kalei Merrifield lead the Cyclones with a home run, double and single, followed by Katie Smith with a home run and double. Suzy Walton added a triple and a single, while Mary Katherine Bush doubled and Brelee Yarber collected her first double. Sydni Bolden had a single. Other scores followed by Hayley Malone, Autumn Lynn and Morgan Slaughter.

The hitting impressed the Cyclones head coach.

“Their batting has improved 100 percent since the beginning of the season,” Coach Nicole Merrifield said. “They are playing as a team, they cry together, they laugh together and they play together. I love these girls.”