ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Mount Mary University softball team split their doubleheader with the host Rockford University Regents today at Swanson Park. Game one saw the Blue Angels (3-9) take an early lead to an 11-4 win over the Regents (3-9). The Blue Angels momentum carried through six of the seven innings in game two, but the Regents rallied to get a come-from-behind 7-6 victory.
In the day's first game, the Blue Angels grabbed an early lead in the top of the first inning after an Audrey Beck (Fr./Costa Mesa, Calif.) walk resulted in a score when Sidnee Turnage (Fr./ Hesperia, Calif.) launched a two-run homerun to left field making it 2-0.
The Blue Angels added their third run when Audrey Beck hit a clutch two-out double scoring senior Jess Runge (Freedom, Wis.) from second base.
The Regents climbed back scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning. All those runs from the Regents came with two outs on the board. However, Hannah Harnsberger (Fr./Hillsboro, Ore.) found a way to force a pop-up to stop the rally after Rockford tied the game 3-3.
In the top of the fourth inning, the Blue Angels received yet another clutch two-out double from Audrey Beck. This time Beck's hit scored two runs and gave MMU the 5-3 lead.
Beck was not done. She promptly stole third base, then was hit home by Katie Arce (Fr./Cypress, Calif.) expanding the lead 6-3.
MMU added three more in the sixth after an error and back-to-back RBI singles from Stephanie Norman (Fr./Noblesville, Ind.) and Michaela Buchholz (Fr./Germantown, Wis.) made the game 9-4 and just out of the reach for the Regents.
The offense continued in the seventh for MMU as a pair of singles setup a two-RBI double from Katie Arce which expanded the lead even further. Then a Turnage single gave the Blue Angels the 12-4 lead and eventually the win.
Harnsberger got the win making her 2-4 on the season. Beck, Arce and Turnage all had multi-hit games and all led the team with three RBIs each.
The Blue Angels captured the early lead with another big outburst in game number two. Katie Arce brought in the first run with an RBI single, then Turnage again followed suit with a two-RBI double making things 3-0.
Rockford chipped away in their turn at the plate in the first with one run of their own.
Another big boost in the third inning saw the Blue Angels post three more runs. Arce again came through with runners in scoring position as she cracked an RBI single. Lisa George then got the final two runs with getting a fielder's choice RBI, then she later would cross the plate on a wild pitch making the game 6-1.
The Regents got solo homeruns in the third and fifth inning from Stefaney Kenworthy and Lisa Blakeley-Snyder, respectively, making things 6-3. With two on and no outs, Stephanie Norman came in for Adrianna Nester (Fr./Anaheim, Calif.) and got out of the jam with three straight outs.
With the score 6-3 to begin the final half of the seventh, the Regents rallied and rattled off five straight base hits to take the walk-off victory 7-6. Nester was dealt the loss in game two surrendering four runs, all earned, in 2.1 innings pitched.
Again, Beck, Arce and Turnage all had multi-hit games in the second game. Arce and Turnage shared the RBI lead for their team with two each.
Following today's doubleheader, the Blue Angels will get ready for Concordia University Wisconsin (9-5). The Falcons will play host for the game scheduled for Wed. Mar. 29. First pitch for game one is set for 3:00 pm. Live stats and video will be made available at mtmaryathetlics.com.
