CLERMONT, Fla. – The Mount Mary University softball team lost a pair of games today at Legends Way Ballpark. Middlebury College (4-1) defeated the Blue Angels 12-2 in the day's first game, then Thomas College (7-5) won game two against MMU 5-2.
Adrianna Nester (So./Anaheim, Calif.) started game one in the circle. The Panthers put on the pressure in the first inning with a single, a Blue Angel error and a walk, but Nester was able to throw a timely strikeout to Panther batter Taylor Gardner which strand the bases loaded.
The bottom of the second inning saw the Panthers load the bases with one out, then a momentum-swinging grand slam by Melanie Mandell made things 4-0. A pair of errors in the inning would further the Panther lead to 6-0 after two.
It was the top of the fourth inning in which the Blue Angels (0-4) would muster their rally. After the Amelia Flint (Sr./Whitefish Bay, Wis.) led off the fourth with a double down the left field line, teammate Michaela Buchholz (So./Germantown, Wis.) used her wheels to beat out a bunt while moving Flint to third.
Nester immediately followed that up with a RBI on a groundout to the shortstop, while moving Buchholz to second. After Buchholz stole third base, a subsequent fielding error by the opposing pitcher made the score 6-2.
The Panthers responded in their turn of the fourth inning with six more runs off of six hits, including a two-run homerun. The 12-2 lead for the Panthers led to the final being called in the fifth.
Nester was given the loss and is now 0-2 on the season. She finished 4.0 innings surrendering 10 earned runs off of 11 hits and four walks.
Buchholz led MMU's offense going 2-of-2 from the plate and scored a run. Teammate Haley Jacquez (So./Oakley, Calif.) added a 1-of-2 performance in the ninth spot for the Blue Angels.
Jacquez led off game two against Thomas College with a bunt single. Flint was able to move Jacquez to second on a sacrifice bunt, but the Terriers recorded the final two outs of the inning to halt the early threat.
Hannah Harnsberger (So./Hillsboro, Ore.) received the start at pitcher in game two. A leadoff bunt by the Terriers turned into a three-bag affair when the Blue Angels throwing error moved the runner into scoring position. An eventual single from TC led to the early 1-0 lead.
A pair of Blue Angel errors in the second inning led to the Terriers grabbing a 2-0 lead on another early unearned run. More errors coupled with three Terrier hits in the bottom of the third led to Thomas College taking a 5-0 lead: all five runs were unearned.
MMU continued to press on offense and broke through in the top of the fifth inning. After Jacquez reached third base on an error by the Terriers, Amelia Flint ripped a clutch two-out single to left field making the score 5-1.
The Blue Angels then struck again in the top of the sixth inning when Nester led off the inning with a single then steal. The subsequent fielding error by the Terriers scored Nester from second base making things 5-2, the eventual final.
Harnsberger (0-2) received the loss after going 6.0 innings. The sophomore pitcher surrendered five runs, no earned runs, off of 11 hits and no walks.
Payton Hintz (Sr./Almond, Wis.) had an active bat in game two, leading the Blue Angels with a 2-of-3 performance at the plate including a double. Flint finished the second game 1-of-3 with a SAC and an RBI.
The Blue Angels will have Monday off before heading back to Legends Way Ballpark on Tue. Mar. 27 to take on St. Thomas at 9:00 am CDT and Mt. St. Vincent at 10:30 am CDT. Stats and box scores for both games will be available at mtmaryathletics.com.
