ANDERSON, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team bounced back from a 4-2 loss in game one to take a 9-5 win in eight innings in game two at Anderson on Friday afternoon.
The Belles threatened to get on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning.
Mac Pepper was hit by a pitch, and
McKenna Myers laced a one-out single to right field to put a pair of runners on base. A passed ball allowed the two to advance 60 feet before
Caitlin Traxler drew a walk to load the bases. A foul pop up to the catcher and a line-drive out, however, put a stop to the scoring chance.
The Ravens struck in the bottom of the second inning with a double and a two-out single up the middle for a 1-0 advantage. The Belles responded with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning.
Alexis Rauch battled through a long at-bat before being hit by a pitch. Myers then dropped a double down the left field line to drive in Rauch from first base.
Caitlin Traxler had a hard-hit single glance off the glove of the diving Anderson first baseman, and the junior stole second to put two runners in scoring position.
Mandi Hettinger drove in Myers with a groundout to the right side of the infield to put the Belles ahead 2-1.
Anderson, however, countered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out rally for a 3-2 lead. The defense came up with solid plays in the bottom of the fourth, fifth, and sixth. A line-drive double play with a catch by
Anna Gruber and a throw across to first to Rauch ended the fourth inning. Then
Mac Pepper cut down a runner trying to go from first to third on a two-out single to end the fifth inning. The Ravens plated a run in the sixth before a double play by
Mandi Hettinger and Gruber kept the Belles within striking distance going into the seventh.
Natalie Quinlan led off the top of the seventh with a walk as
Maddie James came in to pinch run.
Paige Madden put down a sacrifice bunt and reached on an error on the play to put two runners on base.
McKenna Shoupe then used a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners into scoring position. A strikeout and a pop up, however, stranded the pair on base in the 4-2 final.
McKenna Myers had a 2-for-3 effort at the plate in game one with a double, an RBI, and a run.
Caitlin Traxler added a 2-for-2 showing in the opener with a walk and a stolen base.
Mandi Hettinger drove in a run, and
Alexis Rauch scored. Hettinger shouldered the pitching loss after going six complete with no walks while allowing just two earned runs.
The Belles struck in the top of the first inning of game two.
Mac Pepper reached on an error and moved up to second on the play. After an out, Pepper stole third to move 60 feet away from home. Two batters later, a single to center field by
Alexis Rauch drove in Pepper.
A two-out RBI single and a two-run home run by Anderson in the bottom of the first gave the home side a 3-1 advantage, but the Belles kept battling early in the nightcap. A two-out single by
McKenna Shoupe started things in the top of the second. Shoupe then swiped both second and third base, and her efforts were rewarded.
Mac Pepper fought off several pitches before bouncing a single up the middle to drive in Shoupe.
Yet another big defensive play in the bottom of the second shut the door on the Ravens. With runners on second and third with one out,
Libby Bierbaum induced a come-back grounder. The sophomore made the throw to
Mandi Hettinger at first for the force out, and Hettinger relayed a throw home, where
Winnie Tomsheck applied the tag to get the runner from third out trying to score on the play.
Saint Mary's drew even with Anderson in the top of the third.
Alexis Rauch reached first base on a dropped pop up and moved up to second base on the play. The freshman slid in safely to third for a stolen base, and
Mandi Hettinger drove in Rauch with a ground out to make it a 3-3 game.
Libby Bierbaum retired the next nine batters in-a-row to send the game to the sixth still knotted at 3-3. Bierbaum helped her own cause with a lead-off single, and
Grace Renschen belted her first collegiate home run to put the Belles ahead 5-3.
The Ravens used a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth to pull within a run, but
Winnie Tomsheck threw out a runner trying to steal second to end the inning.
Mandi Hettinger tried to get a two-out rally going in the top of the seventh but a fly out ended the top half of the inning. Anderson, meanwhile, put their lead-off runner on base, advanced the runner to second on a sacrifice bunt, and tied the game with a single up the middle. The runner on first then stole second before stealing third on a strikeout as the Belles had two outs while the Ravens saw the potential game-winning run standing 60 feet away from home. Bierbaum induced a grounder to
McKenna Myers at shortstop, and an on-the-money throw to Hettinger at first beat the diving batter-runner to end the inning and keep the game alive.
The Belles capitalized on that big defensive play and boost of momentum.
Winnie Tomsheck bounced a hard-hit, one-out single up the middle, and
Maddie James came on to pinch run in the top of the eighth.
McKenna Shoupe put down a bunt on the first pitch she saw, and a throwing error on the play saw the ball roll all the way out to right field as James and Shoupe both scored on the play.
Mac Pepper reached first on a fielding error by the third baseman and stole second base to get into scoring position.
McKenna Myers drove an 0-2 pitch over the left field fence to double the Belles' lead to 9-5. Bierbaum then retired the side in order in the bottom half of the inning to secure the victory.
McKenna Shoupe went 3-for-4 in game two with two runs and three stolen bases.
McKenna Myers collected a pair of hits with a home run and two RBI.
Grace Renschen added a home run of her own with two RBI.
Mac Pepper tallied a hit and stole two bases.
Mandi Hettinger had a hit and drove in a run.
Libby Bierbaum and
Alexis Rauch each had a hit and scored a run while Rauch added a stolen base. Winnie Tomscheck added a hit, and
Maddie James scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth. Bierbaum went the distance in the circle on her way to the pitching win as she struck out four and walked just one batter in eight innings of work.
The Belles (9-14) are back to conference competition on Saturday when they travel to Hope for a doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.
