Peoria, IL- The Mount Mary softball team played 5 games in two days in the second set of contests at the Blue Angel Invite in Peoria, Illinois. The Blue Angels faced strong competition and showed positive signs for the season ahead, however they dropped all five contests over the 48 hour period.
Thursday's first match up saw MMU take on fellow Wisconsin squad Northland College. The Lumber Jills posted four runs in the top of the first and the Blue Angels were unable to work their way back into the game as Northland took the game by a 7-1 score. Crystal Peterson paced the Mount Mary offense, with two base hits in three at bats.
In game 2 on Thursday, the Blue Angels took on the University of Wisconsin Platteville. Unfortunately for MMU, the game followed a similar pattern. However after falling behind 5-0, the Blue Angel offense would stage some highlights in an attempted comeback. The biggest highlight being Micaela Gonzalez crushing a home run to left center in the top of inning number four. MMU was one batter away from bringing the tieing run to the plate in the 7th, but Platteville hung on for a 6-2 victory.
Friday's first contest, a rematch with Northland, turned out to be the most exciting and tightest of the two days in Peoria. Even though Mount Mary scored two in the top of the first, thanks to the base running of Gonzalez, the first inning blues continued as Northland plated 8 in the bottom of inning number 1. Mount Mary staged an impressive if not gradual comeback. Eventually coming all the back to tie the game at 8 in the top of the 7th. Northland had not scored since the first inning, but then pushed across the game winning run in the bottom of the 7th for a 9-8 win. Gonzalez and Peterson continued to ignite the Blue Angel offense, both going 3 for 4 in the game against Northland. Brianna Lupa went the distance in the pitching circle and also knocked in two runs at the plate.
Coming immediately after the tight loss to Northland, Mount Mary ran into dominant pitching against the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. The Pointers never let MMU get their offense started as they defeated Mount Mary 8-0.
Mount Mary's final match up in Peoria was against the Blue Jays of Elmhurst College. Mount Mary manufactured a run in the bottom of the first to grab a lead, but Elmhurst scored 7 in the top of the 3rd and the game played itself out from there. Elmhurst defeated MMU by a 9-1 final. Gonzalez had a hit and scored the Blue Angel run, and Naomi Gomez also punched out a base hit for Mount Mary.
"This wasn't the way we hoped to play before heading to Florida," stated Blue Angel Head Coach Perry Clark, "we didn't play up to our potential, but I am hoping we will rebound for the games coming up in Florida."
Mount Mary (2-7) will now travel to Florida for 10 games. The first 2 scheduled for Sunday, March 5th, against Penn St University Berks and Lebanon Valley College. Check www.mtmaryathletics.com for available live stats and game coverage.
