MILWAUKEE – For the first time this season the Mount Mary University softball team got the doubleheader sweep. Today's dual victory for the Blue Angels (6-12) came against Association of Division III Independents rival Maranatha Baptist University (2-12). It also marks the first time in recorded history that the Blue Angels scored a run in every single inning played during a completed doubleheader.
In both games, the Blue Angels bats were active. A combined 30 hits in the two contests yielded two games ending without even playing the seventh inning in either game. In addition, nine different Blue Angels finished the day with a multi-hit game.
In game one, the Blue Angels fell behind early when the Sabercats cleared the bases via an Allison Epperly three-RBI double. That first inning two-bagger came after starter Hannah Harnsberger (Fr./Hillsboro, Ore.) gave up a single and two walks to load the bases. The rookie worked her way out of the jam following the 3-0 deficit with a timely popup and groundout.
The Blue Angels answered right back in the bottom of the first when Sidnee Turnage (Fr./Hesperia, Calif.) drilled an RBI-double to the gap scoring Madison Ledda (So./Tracy, Calif.) making the game 3-1.
In MMU's turn in the second inning, Ledda smashed a left field single that wound up scoring two runners and tied the game at three each.
The Blue Angels escalated the score to 6-3 in the bottom of the third when Harnsberger worked the base-loaded RBI-walk to give MMU the go-ahead run. Senior Jess Runge (Freedom, Wis.) followed that up with a two-RBI single.
The Sabercats nipped away in the fifth inning when six MBU hits led to four runs. Harnsberger worked out of it again preserving a one run lead at the end of 4.5 innings of play following a pair of groundouts.
MMU's Ledda stretched-out that slim lead again. The right fielder reached first base on a Sabercat error, then scored after a subsequent wild pitch and additional error.
After Haley Jaquez led off the sixth inning with a triple, the Blue Angels scored four more runs in the frame to end things early 15-7.
Harnsberger finished the game with the win making her 3-7 on the year. Her 6.0 innings pitched also led to her fifth complete game of the season.
Ledda, Turnage and Lisa George (Naches, Wash.) all finished the first contest with three hits each. Runge led the charge with three RBIs of her own.
Game two saw more of the Blue Angels hitting mixed with six Sabercat errors. MMU jumped out to an early lead when Jess Runge scored on an Audrey Beck (Fr./Costa Mesa, Calif.) double to left center. Then one of the three first-inning-errors for MBU scored Turnage from third making thing 2-0 after one.
Amelia Flint (Jr./Whitefish Bay, Wis.) then drove-in the first run in the second inning on an RBI-double. Flint scored on the next play on a wild pitch. Following the free run, her teammate Sidnee Turnage drove in a runner making things 5-0 early.
Starting pitcher for the second game, Stephanie Norman (Noblesville, Ind.), extended the team's lead in the third with an RBI single. The rookie hurler then added another RBI in the fourth inning on a double which gave MMU the 14-1 lead.
Norman got her first complete game of the season and moves to 1-1 on the season. She finished game two with 5.0 innings completed, surrendering four hits and one earned run.
Audrey Beck, Norman and Payton Hintz (Jr./Almond, Wis.) all finished game two with two RBIs. Beck, Norman and Jordan Green (The Woodlands, Texas) all finished the game with two hits.
The Blue Angels get right back in action tomorrow as they head to Dubuque, Iowa to take on Loras College (18-6). Live video and statistical coverage will be made available at mtmaryathletics.com courtesy of the Loras College Athletic Department. The doubleheader for Sun. Apr. 9 begins at 1:00 pm.
