WAUKESHA, Wis. – Today at the STiKs Academy Field, the Mount Mary University softball team defeated the Silver Lake College Lakers in both games of their two-game series. The Blue Angels (6-15) won game one 10, then took the second game over the Lakers (0-16) by a score of 11-0.
Hannah Harnsberger (Jr./Hillsboro, Ore.) started as pitcher in game one for MMU. The junior hurler walked a pair in the first frame, but struck out the final two batters to get out of the inning with no damage.
The Blue Angels were able to get on the board in the bottom half of the first inning. After six errors were recorded by the Lakers in the inning, MMU scored six unearned runs off just one hit. Aislinn Strusz (Fr./Aurora, Ill.) recorded the lone hit and added two RBIs to her season totals.
With the score 6-0 heading into the second, Harnsberger took the circle with the comfort of a sizable lead. Harnsberger struck out the side in the top of the second, then returned to the rubber in the third to strikeout two more.
MMU added two runs in the bottom of the third off three hits. Haley Johnson (Jr./Germantown, Wis.) and Adrianna Nester (Jr./Anaheim, Calif.) both scored RBIs in the frame, Nester sent a runner home on a triple to right field.
The Lakers recorded their sole hit of the game to open-up the fourth inning. Jayna Brown broke up the no-hit bid to begin the frame.
The Blue Angels added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to stretch the score out to 11-0. Kirsten George (Jr./Fairborn, Ohio) drilled a shot to center field to score the first run of the inning. Virginia Peterson (So./Milwaukee, Wis.) drove in the other RBI in the inning on a slow roller back to the pitcher.
The Blue Angels held the Lakers off the scoreboard for the fifth inning and ended the game early via the eight-run rule to end the game 11-0.
Harnsberger went 5.0 innings and is now 3-2 on the season after the shutout. Harnsberger struckout seven batters and walked four in her win in the circle.
Strusz led the offense for the Blue Angels in the first contest going 2-of-2 from the plate with a pair of RBIs and two stolen bases.
For game two, Lauren Nylund (Fr./Muskego, Wis.) took the start in the circle for the Blue Angels. Nylund walked a pair in the opening frame, but got out of the inning stranding the bases loaded.
In the bottom half of the first, the Blue Angels were aggressive on offense. After a leadoff ground out, MMU rattled off seven straight base hits. The Blue Angels tallied seven runs off eight hits and one SLC error in the first.
Although the opposition made an error in the opening frame, MMU scored six earned runs in the frame and registered six RBIs. The RBI leader for the Blue Angels, Aislinn Strusz added two more to her season totals to help MMU take the 7-0 lead after one.
Nylund set down the opposition, and struck out three of her first six batters in the contest. After the quick top half of the second, the Blue Angels scored three more runs in the bottom half of the frame. Strusz was among three Blue Angels to record an RBI in the second. Karley Marelina-Vega (Fr./Milwaukee, Wis.) and Haley Johnson (Jr./Germantown, Wis.) drove in the other two runs for the Blue Angels to push the score out to 10-0 after two innings.
The Lakers broke into the hit column one out into the third inning when Jayna Brown hit a sharp liner to third base. Nylund would allow only one more base runner in the entire contest via a walk in the fourth inning.
The Blue Angels took the 10-0 lead into the fifth inning and forced the eight-run rule to end the contest early.
Nylund is now 1-0 on the season after the win. She pitched 5.0 innings allowing one hit, no runs, with eight strikeouts.
Eight out of the nine starters for the Blue Angels recorded a hit in game one. Five Blue Angels finished with multi-hit games, including Strusz who went 2-of-2 from the plate with three RBIs and a double.
The Blue Angels will return to the diamond tomorrow when they head to Illinois to take on Dominican University. The Stars will host the Blue Angels Mon. Apr. 15 beginning at 5:00 pm. Live links for the contest can be found at MtMaryAthletics.com.