CLERMONT, Fla. – The Mount Mary University softball team lost both games today during the second day of their spring trip. The Blue Angels lost 2-1 to rival Alverno (3-6) in the day's first contest, then Dominican University defeated MMU 4-2.
Hannah Harnsberger (Sr./Hillsboro, Ore.) led the Blue Angels offense in the first game of the day. Harnsberger went 2-for-3 from the plate in the day's opener. Teammate Hayley Smalley (Sr./Columbus, Ohio) went 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.
Adrianna Nester (Sr./Anaheim, Calif.) started at pitcher in game one. Nester went the complete 7.0 innings and gave up two earned run off eight hits. The team leader in strikeouts added five strikeouts to her totals against the Inferno.
Following two quick outs in the bottom half of the third inning, the Blue Angels battled and put two runners on with Smalley at the plate. Smalley laced a single through the infield and scored teammate Nester from third base.
The Inferno tied the game in the top half of the fourth inning when they landed three straight base hits. A single down the left field line scored Alverno's runner from third base. With runners at second and third and one out, the Adrianna Nester struck out the next batter and forced the last batter of the inning to hit to out to center field.
Alverno took the lead in the sixth inning after a one out-double led to a score on a liner to left center field. The Inferno took the 2-1 after the single and never surrendered it afterwards.
In game two, the Blue Angels sent senior Hannah Harnsberger to the circle for the start at pitcher. Harnsberger finished 6.0 innings against the Stars surrendering four earned runs off 12 hits and struck out one batter.
On offense, Taylor Hienbuecher (So./Sycamore, Ill.) led the Blue Angels at the plate with a 3-of-4 performance against Dominican. Karley Marcelina-Vega (So./Milwaukee, Wis.) delivered with two RBIs and went 1-for-3 at the plate.
The Stars scored a pair of runs in the bottom half of the third inning. DU led off the inning with a walk, and then placed two more runners on with bunt singles. A bases-loaded single up the middle of the infeild gave DU the early 1-0 lead. Then a sacrifice fly by to center field by Hannah Gordon made the score 2-0 for the Stars.
In the fourth inning, the Stars added another run off three hits. A single through the left side of the infield scored a runner from second with two outs to give DU a 3-0 lead.
In the top half of the sixth inning, the Blue Angels responded with a pair of runs of their own. Hienbuecher led off the inning with a single and then moved to third base when Adrianna Nester laced a double to right center field. Karley Marcelina-Vega then drilled a single that scored both runners in scoring position.
The Stars added one more run in the sixth inning when a batter was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. After the inside pitch, Dominican took a 4-2 lead on their way to their eighth victory of the season.
The spring trip schedule is still being changed due to cancellations. Please stay check back to MtMaryAthletics.com for updates to times for tomorrows games.
