NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team came up short in 9-1 (6 innings) and 11-4 finals against Kalamazoo on Saturday afternoon.

 

The opener was scoreless until the top of the fifth when the Hornets plated five runs to snag the lead. Saint Mary's responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Sam Mikitka led off with a single, and Maddie James used a sacrifice bunt to move Mikitka into scoring position. McKenna Shoupe then hit a single up the middle toe drive in Mikitka. Shoupe stole second before Mac Pepper drew a walk to put a pair on base. A strikeout and a ground out, however, stopped the Belles from adding to their run total.

 

Kalamazoo added three more runs on two outs in the top of the fourth and another run in the top of the sixth for a 9-1 lead. Saint Mary's was retired in order in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to give the Hornets the eight-run decision.

 

Sam Mikitka was 1-for-2 in the opener and scored a run. McKenna Shoupe went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base, and McKenna Myers was 1-for-2. Libby Bierbaum went six complete in the circle with four strikeouts and no walks.

 

Saint Mary's took advantage of their first at-bats in game two. McKenna Shoupe led off with a double before moving up to third on a bunt and scoring on a single up the middle by Caitlin Traxler.

 

The Hornets scored a run in the bottom of the first and added three runs in the second for a 4-1 advantage. The Belles came back with a run in the top of the third. Traxler hit a two-out double and scored on a single by Libby Bierbaum. Saint Mary's forced Kalamazoo into stranding runners at the corners in the bottom of the third and got the bats going again in the top of the fourth. Rylee Hershberger led off with a single, and Alexis Rauch added a single. With runners at the corners, Maddie James laced a single to right field to drive in Hershberger. An infield single by Mac Pepper loaded the bases with two outs, but a strikeout kept the Belles trailing 4-3 midway through the fourth.

 

The Saint Mary's defense came up with a big double play in the bottom of the fourth before Traxler wrung up a full-count strikeout to strand a runner at third. The offense stirred the pot in the top of the fifth with a single by McKenna Myers and a single by Alexis Rauch before a foul pop up ended the chance early. 

 

Kalamazoo plated a run in the bottom of the fifth for a 5-3 lead. Saint Mary's responded with a run in the top of the sixth. Maddie James hit a lead-off double, and Traxler delivered a two-out single to right field to pull the Belles within a run at 5-4. The Hornets, however, pushed six runs across home to go up 11-4 heading into the seventh. Saint Mary's could not rally late in the game as Kalamazoo claimed the 11-4 decision.

 

Caitlin Traxler was 3-for-4 in game two with a double, two RBIs, and a run. Alexis Rauch went 3-for-4 at the dish for the Belles. Maddie James had a 2-for-3 effort with a double, an RBI, and a run. McKenna Shoupe hit a double and scored a run, and Rylee Hershberger picked up a hit and scored a run. Libby Bierbaum posted a hit and drove in a run. Mac Pepper, McKenna Myers, and Sam Mikitka all tallied a hit. Traxler went six innings and struck out three in the circle.

 

The Belles (7-15, 2-4 MIAA) have a break from conference play this week and return to action when they host the University of Chicago on Friday starting at 4:00 p.m.