GALESBURG, Ill. – The Mount Mary University got the doubleheader sweep today against host Knox College. The Blue Angels took game one 5-3 then followed that with a 9-3 victory in game two. The wins move the Blue Angels to 2-6 on the year and makes the Prairie Fire 0-12.
As the looming thunderstorms hung right around the area, the Blue Angels and Prairie Fire made way early in order to get as much game time as possible. MMU continued to hit the ball as they did in their final game against Eureka.
Blue Angels former slugger and current MMU Assistant Coach Katie Edwards commented on the team's effort, "We finally got the bats alive, and we only made minimal errors. We finally strung some hits together, and with those timely hitting and aggressive base running we were able to get things going today."
That timely hitting led to six hits in the first game. Tied 0-0, the Blue Angels scored two runs off of one hit as a double by Jess Runge (Jr./Freedom, Wis.) led to the first of two RBIs by Madison Ledda (Fr./Tracy, Calif.). Ashley Contreras (So./College Station, Texas) followed that up with a sac fly RBI making it 2-0.
The Prairie Fire added two of their own in the bottom of the third, then took the lead in the fifth after a one out triple led to an RBI single off the bat of Alannah Sanchez.
MMU came fighting back in the seventh after Michelle Argenzio (Sr./Brookfield, Wis.) led the inning off getting hit by the pitch. Two hits and two errors later, the Blue Angels took a 5-3 lead which they would hold onto for the first win of the season.
Nikki Festge (Jr./Menomonee Falls, Wis.) finished game one giving up three earned runs, 13 hits, while walking one and striking out seven to make her 1-3 on the year.
Game two saw even more Blue Angels offense. Starting off with a Runge triple and a Contreras single gave MMU a quick 1-0 lead that they took to the second inning. In the second, the Blue Angels scored three unearned runs off of two hits including another Runge base hit and a single by Ledda.
MMU gave up three runs in the bottom of the second, but that would be it on the day. Contreras went on to finish with 7.0 innings pitched, giving up two earned runs off of seven hits, while walking six and striking out five.
The Blue Angels three more runs in the seventh capped off their biggest offensive game of the year with 13 team hits, in fact every starter recorded a base hit. Runge finished 2-of-4 from the plate with four runs and an RBI, while teammate Contreras added her offense with a 2-of-5 performance and four RBIs.
"I am really proud of the girls' offense," Head Softball Coach Tim Edwards went on, "…it is really nice to see the improvements that they have made so early. You can see that each time out they are improving, and they are having a fun time doing it."
MMU will keep their spring trip rolling as they travel to Grinnell, Iowa to face Grinnell College (6-5) Thu. Mar. 31. The doubleheaders will take place at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm, updates on scores can be found at mtmaryathletics.com.
