The Belles swept MIAA conference opponent Kalamazoo at home this Thursday to hold their spot in the top three of the MIAA conference.
The Belles (19-13, 9-3 MIAA) beat Kalamazoo (5-17, 2-12 MIAA) 10-3 in the first game and 5-4 in the second game.
Coach Erin Sullivan said the Belles took advantage of their home-field advantage. The Belles are now 12-2 at home, and Sullivan said the fans and field aided the team in their win against Kalamazoo Thursday.
Junior pitcher Callie Selner helped the Belles to notch the win by making her mark on the mound and in the lineup. Selner went 4-for-4 in game one and hit a home run.
Freshman center fielder Jillian Busfield from Riley High School shined, as well. She hit her tenth homerun of the season, tying the single season homerun record at Saint Mary's.
Although the Belles dominated, Sullivan said there are always ways to improve.
"We hit well but we should have had stronger hits," Sullivan said. "The pitchers for Kalamazoo were not strong and we were over-swinging and way ahead of many pitches. We did bunt well, though."
Sullivan said the Belles also needed to make more routine plays and to improve consistency at the plate for their upcoming games against important MIAA conference opponents.
Regardless of their flaws, Sullivan said the Belles will certainly be hard to beat in the tournament if they play their best in the next couple of games.
Saint Mary's will make up Wednesday's postponed game against Trine (29-3, 12-0 MIAA) today. Trine is currently first in the MIAA conference and was the 2012 conference champion in 2012. The Belles will then face Alma on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Alma, Mich.
Sullivan said the Belles' chances of getting into the MIAA conference tournament are good, no matter what results they get in the next few games.
"If Hope gets swept tomorrow by Alma we will be in the tournament no matter how our last four games go," Sullivan said.
The Belles will travel to Angola, Ind., today to play Trine.
Contact Meredith Kelly at mkelly29@nd.edu
