ALMA, Mich. - Saint Mary's College Softball split their Thursday MIAA double header with Alma College, falling game one 11-3 and taking the win in game two 7-3. The Belles move to 17-19 (4-6 MIAA) while the Scots move to 21-9 (7-3 MIAA).

Game One

Saint Mary's got their offense going early as sophomore Talia Jorgensen (St. Paul, MN) reached on a leadoff single. After advancing on a sacrifice bunt, freshman Maggie Voliva (Saint John, IN) walked. The two proceeded to pull off a double steal before an errant throw allowed them to advance an extra base, bringing Jorgensen in to score. Freshman Isabelle Hochmuth (St. Louis, MO) followed that up with an RBI double to right center field to bring Voliva in to score to give the Belles an early 2-0 lead. Alma would bounce right back and put up five runs in the bottom of the first inning off four hits and two errors to take a 5-2 lead.

After a quiet second, the third stated the same as the first for Saint Mary's. Jorgensen led off the inning with a single before Voliva added a one out walk. Hochmuth advanced the runners with a single through the left side to load the bases. Sophomore Hunter St. Peter (Traverse City, MI) then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring Jorgensen in to score before Hochmuth was thrown out trying to advance to second to end the inning. 

The Scots offense would stay hot as they added two runs in the third, one in the fourth, before adding three in the fifth to walk off the run-rule shortened game with an 11-3 win.

Jorgensen led the team in game one, going 3-3 on the afternoon with two runs scored. Hochmuth added two hits as well including her double while Voliva reached in all three at bats with a single and two walks.

Senior Sam Mikitka (Naperville, IL) was the pitcher of record, throwing two and a third innings and allowing six earned runs on six hits while striking out one. Sophomore Ashlyn Yeo (Jackson, MI) entered in relief, throwing two and a third inning and allowing two earned runs on six hits. Defensively, the Belles were hurt by a season high five errors.

Game Two

Alma got the scoring started in the top of the first as they added an unearned run on a hit and an error to take the early lead. Saint Mary's bounced right back in the bottom of the inning. Jorgensen reached on an error to lead off the inning before junior Allie Moss (Goshen, IN) singled to center field. Voliva followed that up by placing a single into right center field to bring Jorgensen in to score to tie the game. Hochmuth added the Belles third straight single through the left side of the infield to bring Moss in and give the Belles the 2-1 lead.

The Scots came back with two more runs on three hits and an error in the top of the second to retake the lead. Saint Mary's had a quick response for Alma. Sophomore Lydia Hinga (Portage, MI) singled to lead off the inning before Jorgensen reached on a one out bunt single. Voliva, in the middle of a red hot week, doubled to left center field to not only bring Hinga in to score, but Jorgensen as well as she used her speed to fly around the bases. Hochmuth followed that up by continuing her own strong week as she slotted another single through the left side to bring Voliva in to score, giving the Belles a 5-3 lead.

While the third and fourth innings were quiet for both offenses, Saint Mary's would tack on another run in the fifth. After a one out walk for Hochmuth, St. Peter singled to advance her all the way to third. Sophomore Maddi Duncan (Sarasota, FL) then came in to pinch hit and grounded out to the right side of the infield, allowing Hochmuth to trot home easily. They would tack on another in the sixth, after a leadoff single for Hinga, she found herself on third after a sacrifice bunt and a ground out. Moss then singled to the shortstop to bring Hinga in to score and finish off the game with the Belles ahead, 7-3.

Sophomore Aubrey Zachary (Granger, IN) went out for her seventh inning of work with a four run cushion. She struck out the leadoff batter before giving up a one out double. Zachary sat the next batter down on three pitches before a lengthy seven pitch at bat turned into a walk. She then got the next batter to fly out to center to close out the win and secure the split for the Belles.

Moss, Voliva, Hochmuth, and Hinga all tallied two hits for the Belles in the evening while Moss and Hochmuth added a walk to their total. Jorgensen and Hinga both came in to score twice while Voliva drove in three runs and Hochmuth and Hinga each drove in two.

In the circle, Zachary earned her fifth win of the season as she threw a complete game. She allowed just two earned runs on eight hits and struck out an impressive eight batters. While allowing three total runs in the first two innings, Zachary struck out the first four outs of the game before shutting down the Scots and holding them scoreless across the final five innings.

UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES

Saint Mary's will return home on Wednesday, April 29, for their home finale as they host Adrian College for a double header starting at 3pm. The Belles will also host senior day in between games. They then close out the season on the road at Albion College on May 1.