KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Saint Mary's College Softball would extend their win streak to five games to close out The Spring Games on Friday, defeating Utica University, 14-6 in six innings, and defeating Lasell University, 4-1. The Belles improve to 5-5 on the year while the Pioneers fall to 4-5 and the Lasers fall to 0-7.

Saint Mary's vs Utica

Saint Mary's got out to a hot start to open the day as five of the first six batters would reach in the first inning and the Belles would bat all nine in the first inning. After a walk and a hit by pitch, freshman Lydia Hinga (Portage, MI) would reach on a field error, allowing freshman Hunter St. Peter (Traverse City, MI) to score from second. Hinga would advance to second after a throwing error from the right field, which allowed sophomore Laura Heim (Howards Grove, WI) to score. After a walk, freshman Gia Schiavone (Poland, OH) would reach on another fielding error, allowing Hinga to come around to score. The scoring wouldn't stop there as freshman Katie Hans (Novi, MI) would hit an RBI single through the right side, scoring junior Sam Mikitka (Naperville, IL).

While Utica would come out and put up a run in the top of the second, the Belles would respond with two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. After St. Peter doubled down the left field line, Heim would send a deep shot to left center field for the first Belles home run of the season. 

After a quiet third inning, Saint Mary's would explode for the seventh time scoring at least three runs in an inning during the four-game win streak, putting up six runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a single, double, and hit by pitch to lead off the inning, senior Alexis Rauch (Cassopolis, MI) would single through the left side, scoring junior Leah Zimmerman (Huntertown, IN). During the next at bat, St. Peter would come in to score off a wild pitch before freshman Maddie Duncan (Sarasota, FL) would single to left center, bringing Heim home. With the bases loaded, freshman Talia Jorgensen (St. Paul, MN) would provide a pinch hit RBI, reaching on a fielder's choice and scoring Rauch. Zimmerman would come up next and single to the shortstop, allowing Duncan and Schiavone to come around to score before Jorgensen would be thrown out trying to advance to third.
While it looked like the Belles would get away with an early finish, Utica would come out and score five runs of their own in the top of the fifth inning to extend the game. 

But the Saint Mary's offense would come in clutch in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a Duncan single and Schiavone walk, both advanced to second and third after a passed ball. Hans would ground out to the second baseman to score Duncan before Zimmerman would come up clutch with two outs. Zimmerman would reach on a short hit back to the pitcher, as Schiavone raced home, she would slide under the catcher's mitt to secure the Belles fourth straight win.

Heim would lead the way for the Belles at the plate, going 2-2 while reaching in all four plate appearances. This included her first career home run in the second inning. St. Peter would dominate at the top of the lineup, going 2-3 with a walk and two doubles. Heim and St. Peter would both score three runs on the day Duncan would provide a strong bat off the bench, going 2-2 and scoring two runs. Zimmerman would hold down the lineup in the ninth spot, going 2-4 with three RBI's. Heim and Hans would each add two RBI's of their own. Schiavone would be a strong threat on the bases, reaching twice off walks, stealing a base and coming around to score twice.

Sophomore Sammy Schrader (Romeoville, IL) would throw four strong innings in her first start of the season, allowing just one run and four hits and earning her first collegiate win. Freshmen Faith Dean (Monroe, MI) and Ashlyn Yeo (Jackson, MI) would each work one inning, Dean racking up two strikes and Yeo racking up one and sitting the Pioneers down in order in the sixth inning.

Saint Mary's vs Lasell

Lasell would take a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning before both teams offenses would go cold across the next three innings until the top of the fifth inning where Saint Mary's would erupt for four runs in the inning.

After three straight singles to lead off the inning, St. Peter would join the single party with an RBI hit of her own to center field to bring Zimmerman around to score. Two batters later, Mikitka would come up with the bases loaded and smack a bases clearing double, scoring Jorgensen, Duncan, and St. Peter. 

That would be all the offense that the Belles would need as the duo of Dean and Mikitka would dominate in the circle for the Belles, allowing just one run on five hits and striking out six batters. Dean would earn her third victory of the year while Mikitka would earn her second save of the early season.

Duncan and Mikitka would both record two hits on the day while Mikitka would record the lone extra base hit and lead the team with three RBI's. St. Peter would record the other RBI. Five other Belles would single in the game.

Dean would allow one run on four hits with four strikeouts in four innings of work while Mikitka would allow one hit and strikeout two in her three innings of work.

UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES

Saint Mary's returns from their spring trip to head back on the road, traveling to Aurora University on March 18 for a double header, starting at 4pm. The Belles then return home for their home opener on March 29 as they host North Park University for a double header starting at 1pm.