After a bumpy week of cancellations and rescheduled games, the Saint Mary’s softball team went back to work, taking two wins over Olivet before losing two against Kalamazoo.
Olivet
Game 1
The Belles dominated in game 1 as they easily took the 10-4 win. In the bottom of the first, they responded to an early 1-0 deficit with a 3-run inning. It began when sophomore transfer infielder Laura Heim reached on an error and advanced to third on another error the following at-bat. Freshman infielder Hunter St. Peter then drove her in, before senior infielder Alexis Rauch and freshman pitcher Faith Dean added RBIs of their own to put the Belles up 3-0.
In the second inning, Olivet regained their lead, putting three runs on the board. But that did not deter Saint Mary’s. Benefiting from more sloppy defense by Olivet, freshman catcher Lydia Hinga and junior outfielder Leah Zimmerman reached on two consecutive errors. The Belles batters would proceed to string together five hits from there to drive in multiple runs and end the second inning ahead 8-4. They held Olivet scoreless in the third before adding two more runs in the bottom half of the frame, thanks to a singles from freshman infielder Talia Jorgensen, Dean and Rauch. There was no scoring from either team throughout the rest of the game, allowing Saint Mary’s to coast to a 10-4 victory.
Game 2
Saint Mary’s started on offense in the first inning but was unable to score, allowing Olivet to take the quick 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the frame. The Belles bounced back in the second, however, putting three runs on the board thanks to a double from Hinga and a triple from Jorgensen, which drove in more unearned runs resulting from Olivet errors. Olivet, keeping their head in the game, added a run in the bottom of the third to tie the score at 3-3. Neither team scored in the fourth or the fifth inning, but the Belles posted five in the sixth en route to the 8-3 win.
Kalamazoo
Game 1
Kalamazoo started off hot offensively, as they put three runs on the board for an early 3-0 lead after one. The Belles managed one run in the second inning thanks to a single from junior pitcher Sam Mikitka, who made her way around the bases courtesy of a wild pitch and sacrifice bunt before Hinga drove her in after another Kalamazoo error. The Hornets didn't flinch, however, scoring a combined seven runs across the next two innings to take a commanding 10-1 lead. The Belles would make up some ground in the fifth, as a single from freshman pitcher Sammy Schrader and an RBI double from Hinga gave the Belles their first run of the frame. Hinga made it home thanks to a long ball from Jorgensen, ending the inning with the deficit cut to 10-4. After the fifth-inning hiccup, Kalamazoo comfortably closed out the game with two more runs in the sixth en route to the 12-4 win.
Game 2
In a much closer second game, the Belles battled hard but fell just short in the 4-3 loss. Neither team scored in the first two innings before Saint Mary’s got the ball rolling in the bottom of the third. Hinga singled and Jorgensen doubled to left center, before a sacrifice bunt from freshman catcher Maddi Duncan brought Jorgensen and Hinga to the plate with help from a throwing error. A single up the middle from St. Peter brought Duncan around to score, giving the Belles a 3-0 lead. Kalamazoo responded, though, putting a run on the board for themselves in the top of the fourth. While shutting down the Belles' bats, they strung together three more runs in the fifth and sixth to earn the 4-3 win.
Saint Mary's now sits at 8-12 on the season and 2-4 in conference play. They look ahead to a doubleheader against Trine on Wednesday with first pitch set for 3 p.m.
