WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Mount Mary University Blue Angels finished their 2015-16 season with a pair of wins against rival Maranatha Baptist University today at Brandt-Quirk Park. The wins tie the Blue Angels single season wins total as they finish the regular season 9-18, 9-20 including postseason play.
The Sabercats (4-22) came into the doubleheader on a 16 game losing streak. Runs have been hard to come by for MBU, in fact the last time these teams met (Apr. 23), MMU pitched back-to-back shutouts for the first time in school history.
In tonight's game one, the Blue Angels got on the base paths early and often. Showing plenty of patience, MMU finished the first game with nine team bases on balls. After a wild pitch scored Madison Ledda (Fr./Tracy, Calif.) to make it 1-0, Taylor Yordt (Fr./Omaha, Neb.) opened up the game with a bases loaded single that scored two runs making it 3-0 in the top of the first inning.
MMU added four runs in the top of the third inning off of just one run. Four walks and a hit by pitch led to the runs in the third, then a four run sixth inning would effectively end the game following the Sabercats turn.
MMU finished to get the 11-1 win in game one with of six Blue Angel hits. Payton Hintz (So./Almond, Wis.) finished the first game going 2-of-2 at the plate with two runs scored. Teammate Katy Groth (Fr./Racine, Wis.) led the offense in the nine spot going 2-of-3 in the batter's box with two RBIs and one run scored.
Nikki Festge (Sr./Menomonee Falls, Wis.) received her fourth win of the season going 6.0 innings, giving up hits, one earned run, zero base on balls and seven strikeouts.
In game two, the Blue Angels again jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Five of the Blue Angels seven hits came in that first inning including bunt single by Ledda that led to the first run of the game and an RBI double from Hintz to score Ledda.
The Sabercats chipped away in the second after an RBI single by Katie Bender that scored an unearned run making it 3-1 in their half of the second.
MMU added three runs in the top of the fourth after one hit and two MBU fielding errors. The Sabercats came right back with a run in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings, but could never quite close the gap following a sixth inning homerun by Hintz which lead to the 7-3 final.
Ashley Contreras (So./College Station, Texas) finished the 7.0 innings for the win and the complete game, while giving up four hits, three runs, two earned runs, walking seven and striking out 10.
Festge finished her final collegiate game going 2-of-4 from the plate with three RBIs. Michelle Argenzio (Sr./Brookfield, Wis.) finished with a pair of walks in her final NCAA performance.
Third basemen Payton Hintz led the offense in the second game with 2-of-3 performance with a double, homerun and two RBIs.
The 2015-16 season is now at a conclusion, and the Blue Angels finished with their highest regular season winning percentage going 9-18 over the course of the year. As Blue Angels fans say goodbye to Festge, Argenzio and Shandrieka Richardson, they await what the offseason and the many things to come from the current hard working Blue Angels. Only eight months until the 2017 softball regular season.
