ANGOLA, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team fell in both ends of a conference doubleheader against No. 4 ranked Trine by 8-0 (5 innings) and 15-0 (5 innings) scores on Thursday afternoon.

 

Game one was a tightly-played contest through the first three innings of action. Both sides were retired in order in the first before the Thunder put a runner on with a one-out single in the second. Rylee Hershberger saw a tremendous effort after fielding a tough hop on a grounder and gunning a throw to second only to narrowly miss the lead out on the play. Trine loaded the bases, but Hershberger came up with another solid defensive effort and cut down the runner at home with the force out on a grounder on the next play. A walk drove in a run for Trine, but Madi Ingolia collected a fly out to limit the Thunder to just one run.

 

Both teams were again retired in order in the third. Each of the hits by the home side were just barely beyond the reach of the Saint Mary's defense in the fourth as Trine used a four-run inning to go ahead 5-0. Rylee Hershberger led off the top of the fifth by drawing a walk, and Alexis Rauch laced a one-out single up the middle to put a pair on base for the Belles. A close play at first went Trine's way as a double play ended the scoring chance for Saint Mary's. The Thunder then plated three runs in the bottom of the inning to end the game 8-0.

 

Alexis Rauch posted a hit, and Rylee Hershberger drew a walk for the Belles. Libby Bierbaum shouldered the game-one pitching loss after going four innings with a strikeout. Sam Mikitka went the final two-thirds of an inning in the circle for Saint Mary's.

 

The Belles forced Trine into stranding a runner on second base in the top of the first inning of game two as McKenna Shoupe tracked down a fly ball in center field to end the frame.

 

Trine, however, plated three runs in the second and ten in the third to build a 13-0 advantage. Sam Mikitka reached on an error in the third, but the Belles were unable to capitalize on the chance. The Thunder added another run in the fourth while Saint Mary's continued to battle in their at-bats. Caitlin Traxler drew a walk with one out, and Alexis Rauch picked up her second hit of the day with a single to put a pair on base before an infield ground out closed the scoring opportunity. 

 

Down 15-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Sam Mikitka led off with a single up the middle as the Belles continued to fight. Mikitka moved to second on a wild pitch, but back-to-back outs ended the game with Mikitka on second base.

 

Alexis Rauch and Sam Mikitka each tallied a hit for the Belles, and Caitlin Traxler drew a walk. Traxler was dealt the loss in the circle after going two complete. Mary Charniak came on in relief and went the final three innings and struck out three.

 

The Belles (8-14, 4-4 MIAA) have a break from conference play when they travel to Manchester on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon.