FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Mount Mary University softball team lost both games of their doubleheader today at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. Kenyon College (4-6) defeated MMU 5-0 in game one and Dominican University (7-3) won 12-4 over the Blue Angels (1-5).
In game one of today's doubleheader Keyon got their first runs of the contest, both unearned, after a couple of sacrifice bunts by the Ladies of Kenyon setup their leading hitter on the day. Following an RBI single from Madi Maldonado, the Ladies took the 2-0 lead and never gave it back.
Kenyon added two more runs when Maldonado placed another single through the right side for a pair of RBIs. The 4-0 lead for the Ladies got an extra insurance run in the fifth inning when Keely Sweet brought in her teammate with a sacrifice fly to the outfield making the score 5-0 and ending the scoring for each team.
MMU's Hannah Harnsberger (Fr./Hillsboro, Ore.) was given the loss on the game giving her a 1-2 record on the season. The rookie also finished her second complete game in three games thus far this season. Harnsberger officially gave up nine hits, five runs, three earned runs, one walk and two strikeouts.
Getting a break from the field Audrey Beck (Fr./Costa Mesa, Calif.) paced the Blue Angels offense against the Ladies going 2-of-3 at the plate with a double. Teammate Katie Arce (Fr./Cypress, Calif.) provided the other extra base hit for MMU as she went 1-of-3 from the plate against Kenyon.
The second contest saw the Blue Angels get a big three run first inning. After senior Jess Runge (Freedom, Wis.) led off the game with a single, Audrey Beck got on base after a fielder's choice went awry. Following a Beck steal, newcomer Lisa George (Fr./Naches, Wash.) smacked a double down the right field line scoring Runge and Beck on the play.
Megan Shelley backed that up with an RBI single to right field giving MMU a 3-0 lead after one half inning of play.
Adrianna Nester (Fr./Anaheim, Calif.) got the start in the circle for MMU in game two. After hitting the first batter, the leadoff runner moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, then a wild pitch gave the Stars their first run without the benefit of a hit. Nester came back to strikeout the final batter of the inning with a runner in scoring position allowing MMU to maintain the lead.
The Stars took the lead in the second inning when three Blue Angel errors turned into three more runs for Dominican, all without a hit.
Following a pitching change, Dominican rattled off three straight hits to lead things off in the third inning. The Stars inflated their lead with three more runs in the frame making the score 7-3 after three completed.
The Blue Angels chipped away at the deficit after a sacrifice bunt by Stephanie Norman (Fr./Noblesville, Ind.) led to an RBI single from Amelia Flint (Jr./Whitefish Bay, Wis.) which made the score 7-4.
Dominican then scored five runs in the fifth and sixth inning, ending the game in the sixth by a final score of 12-4.
Nester was given the loss in game one with 2.0 innings pitched, four runs, one earned run, striking-out one and walking three. Both Norman and Harnsberger would come in for late relief.
Lisa George went 1-of-3 from the plate with a double and two RBIs. Fellow Blue Angel Amelia Flint chipped in offensively going 2-of-2 from the plate.
Tomorrow will be the one day off for the Blue Angels as they get back in action on Thu. Mar. 9 with another doubleheader. MMU will face Eastern Nazarene (3-1) at 10:00 am CST then Albion College (4-4) beginning at 12:00 pm. For updates, news and final box scores, visit mtmaryathletics.com.
