ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Mount Mary University softball team lost both games in their two-game series against host Dominican University (18-2). The Stars won the first contest 7-3 over the Blue Angels (6-17), then DU defeated MMU 10-2 in the second contest.
Haley Smalley (Jr./Columbus, Ind.) returned to the circle for the Blue Angels in game one against Dominican. Smalley just one hit over the first two innings for MMU.
The Blue Angels were first into the scoring column after Hannah Harnsberger (Jr./Hillsboro, Ore.) walked and came around to score on a Lauren Nylund (Fr./Muskego, Wis.) RBI-single down the left line that also moved a runner into scoring position.
MMU scored two more in the inning off a throwing error by the Stars, then on an RBI-groundout by Smalley that made the score 3-0 after heading into the bottom half of the third.
The Stars then answered in the third inning when a one-out sacrifice bunt, turned into a runner scoring from second and two runners left in scoring position via an MMU throwing error. Following the miscue, the Stars laced a double the very next pitch that tied the game 3-3.
After a second error in the bottom of the third, the Stars were able to take the lead when Alena Valenzuela stole home.
Dominican added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning when Sydney Kuderna hit a two-RBI single to left field. The Stars then added another insurance run in the fifth inning when back-to-back doubles made the score 7-3.
The Blue Angels were able to get a baserunner in the sixth, but were held scoreless for the final four innings.
Smalley is now 2-8 in the circle for the Blue Angels. The junior hurler went 7.0 innings surrendering seven runs, five earned runs, off ten hits and struck out three.
Freshman Lauren Nylund led the Blue Angels offense in the first game going 2-of-4 from the plate with a double and an RBI.
Adrianna Nester (Jr./Anaheim, Calif.) started in game two for the Blue Angels. Nester left two runners stranded in the first inning, but the Stars were able to breakthrough in the second inning after a lead-off single scored following a wild-pitch and a sacrifice fly.
MMU responded in the top of the third. With two outs, Amelia Flint (Sr./Whitefish Bay, Wis.) singled up the middle of the infield then stole second. Lauren Nylund followed that up with a double down the right field line that scored Flint and tied the game. Haley Jacquez (Jr./Oakley, Calif.) then singled to center field and scored Nylund to give MMU a 2-1 lead.
Dominican tied the game the next half inning after back-to-back errors by the Blue Angels led to a sacrifice bunt scoring a runner from second base. The Stars were able to add three more runs off two hits in the inning to take a 5-2 lead.
DU added two more in the fourth inning when the Stars leadoff with back-to-back walks. After a double-steal by the Stars, a wild pitch made the score 6-2. A single later in the inning spread the lead to 7-2, then a pair of runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth pushed the DU lead to 10-2.
MMU was able to collect two more hits in the final three innings, but with the score 10-2 after six innings, the game ended via the run-rule.
Nester is now 0-7 on the season after going 5.2 innings in the circle. She surrendered 10 runs, six earned runs off 11 hits and struck out two batters.
Taylor Hienbuecher (Fr./Sycamore, Ill.) led the offense for the Blue Angels in the second game going 2-of-2 at the plate with a double.
The Blue Angels return to action Thu. Apr. 18 when MMU hosts Finlandia University for a doubleheader. The two-game series will begin at 3:00 pm at Infinity Fields in Waukesha, Wis. Live stats for the game can be found at MtMaryAthletics.com.