ROCHESTER, Minn. – The Mount Mary University softball team split wins in their doubleheader today at the Rochester Dome Tournament. The Blue Angels won the first game 8-7 against Edgewood then lost to Gustavus Adolphus 11-1 in five innings.
Hayley Smalley (Sr./Columbus, Ind.) started at pitcher in game one. Smalley went 5.0 innings and gave up five runs, three earned runs, off four hits and six walks. Smalley also struck out five batters in her time in the circle. Nester finished the game at pitcher and grabbed the win in 3.0 innings of work. Nester surrendered two runs, both earned, and struck out four against the Eagles.
Hannah Harnsberger (Sr./Hillsboro, Ore.) led MMU's offense 3-for-5 at the dish in the first game. Harnsberger hit one double and drove in a run.
Adrianna Nester (Sr./Anaheim, Calif.) helped the offense for MMU in game one with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate. Nester had an RBI and a double in the win over the Eagles.
Haley Johnson (Sr./Germantown, Wis.) also logged a multi-hit game in MMU's win over Edgewood. Johnson went 2-for-5 in game one.
MMU scored their first run in the game in the second inning. The unearned run for MMU began with an E3 that set Brianna Ecker (Fr./Fond du Lac, Wis.) at first base. After a double moved Ecker to third, she scored on a passed ball, all with two outs.
The Eagles came back and scored one run in each of the next three innings to take a 3-1 lead heading into the fifth inning.
In the top of the fifth, Adrianna Nester led the frame off reaching on a walk. Nester scored two batters later when Taylor Hienbuecher (So./Sycamore, Ill.) double to left field. Hienbuecher then scored the tying run two at-bats later when Ecker singled right center.
The Eagles recaptured the lead in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out single that scored a run.
Lauren Nylund (So./Muskego, Wis.) delivered in the sixth with a one out single that began a three-run rally for MMU. Four straight walks by the Eagles led to the Blue Angels taking a 6-4 lead heading into the bottom half of the sixth.
A lead off error by the Blue Angels in the bottom of the sixth paved the way to a two-run inning for the Eagles.
The Blue Angels took a lead in the game in the seventh inning off three hits. Haley Johnson led the inning off with a single and later scored when Nester delivered with a clutch one-out double.
The Eagles then tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning after MMU got two quick outs. A walk followed by two hits led to the tying run for the Eagles.
The Blue Angels scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning when their extra-innings base runner scored after the Blue Angels moved the runner over with a sacrifice. A single from Harnsberger gave the Blue Angels the lead and eventually the win.
Adrianna Nester started the game as a pitcher in game two against Gustavus Adolphus. Nester went 5.0 innings surrendering 11 runs, two earned runs, off eight hits and seven walks. Nester struck out three in her time in the circle.
Brianna Ecker and Taylor Hienbuecher both went 1-for-2 at the plate against GAC. Ecker logged the one RBI for the Blue Angels.
Gustavus Adolphus broke the score open in the top of the third. Back-to-back doubles after a lead off out scored gave GAC the 1-0 lead.
Adrianna Nester tied the game for the Blue Angels after she led off the inning reaching on a walk. An error and a pair of singles led to Nester scoring the tying run for MMU in the bottom half of the fourth.
An untimely E6 in the top half of the fifth inning began a 10-run inning for Gustavus Adolphus. Five walks and three hits helped the Eagles bat around the order in the fifth.
MMU could not cut into the lead in the fifth which led to the game ending 11-1 in five innings of action.
The Blue Angels will have a brief break before returning to action for their spring trip Fri. Mar. 13. MMU is scheduled to play 16 games over eight days over while down in Florida. Check out MtMaryAthletics.com for news, info and final scores.
