FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Mount Mary University softball team split today's doubleheader at the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic. MMU (2-8) lost their first game 2-1 against Geneva (4-3) then had an overflow of offense in the second game as they won 9-0 over Wheelock (0-4).
The Blue Angels and Golden Tornadoes of Geneva College had a classic back-and-forth affair in game one.
Geneva got the first run of the game in their turn in the third when a leadoff bunt single, led to a runner at second with nobody out. A quick sacrifice bunt moved the runner over and setup the Gevena's first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field.
Following a walk and a beat-it-out bunt single for Jess Runge (Sr./Freedom, Wis.), MMU found themselves with two outs in the bottom of the third. The Blue Angels took advantage of the extra out when Audrey Beck (Fr./Costa Mesa, Calif.) reached on an error by the shortstop and tied up the game at 1-1.
Geneva's Lucia Fee broke the tie in the fifth inning on a two-out single to left field. The Blue Angels would get a few more opportunities to tie, but none better than in the sixth inning.
Audrey Becky led MMU's turn in the sixth with a triple to right field. Mount Mary could not capitalize on the runner in scoring position and stranded Beck at third. That led to the game's final 2-1 score in favor of the Golden Tornadoes.
Hannah Harnsberger (Fr./Hillsboro, Ore.) was given the loss in game one and now is at 1-4 on the year. Harnsberger pitched 7.0 innings, struck out four, walked five and gave up two earned runs.
MMU got their offense going in the second game when they recorded 10 team hits. Runge led the game off with a bunt single. Then the Blue Angels reached on another single and a walk which loaded the bases for Payton Hintz (Jr./Almond, Wis.) who earned the subsequent RBI with a four-pitch walk. A sacrifice fly by newcomer Sidnee Turnage (Fr./Hesperia, Calif.) gave MMU the early 2-0 lead.
The Blue Angels then added three more in the second inning. Madison Ledda (So./Tracy, Calif.) got the first run of the inning when she cracked an RBI double to left field and scored Runge. The remaining two runs came during Turnage's next at-bat when a wild pitch scored Ledda then a single by Turnage scored Hintz.
MMU got their final four runs of the game in the third inning, all with two outs. The scoring surge was sparked when Amelia Flint (Jr./Whitefish Bay, Wis.) tallied an inside-the-park homerun. Beck added two more runs on a double three batters later, then Turnage finished the scoring on an RBI single to center field.
Runge, Ledda, and Turnage all finished with two-hit games. Turnage led scoring with three RBIs on the day.
Adrianna Nester (Fr./Anaheim, Calif.) finished with a complete game shutout. Nester struck out six, had no walks and gave up four hits on her way to her first win of the season.
The Blue Angels will now have two weeks to prepare for their next game against Wisconsin Lutheran College () on Sat. Mar. 25. The doubleheader with the Warriors will be played at WLC Field with first pitch for game one scheduled for 12:00 pm. Stay tuned to mtmaryathletics.com for updates, news and the latest on the Blue Angels.
