Naperville, IL – The Mount Mary softball team headed to North Central College on Friday, coming off a sweep of Lawrence their last time out and hoping to continue the momentum. In game one against the Cardinals, the Blue Angel offense was not quite able to catch North Central and MMU fell by a score of 4-1.
Brianna Lupa was solid in the circle, allowing only 4 runs in 6 innings of work. However, Mount Mary mustered only 1 run on 6 hits in game 1. The Blue Angels scored their only run in the 5th and a tough double play ended a rally which seemed primed to get Mount Mary within a run or better.
In game 2, North Central pushed a run across in the bottom of the 1st to claim a 1-0 lead. Alyssa Sturino hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 3rd to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead which would turn out to be the final margin. Lupa again held the North Central offense at bay, holding the Cardinals to only 2 runs in six innings of work.
Mount Mary simply could not generate enough offense to win on this day, tallying only a single hit in the game two setback. Elise DeGraef had the lone hit for the Blue Angels in the second game.
Reflecting on the games, Head Coach Perry Clark had this to say, "We continue to struggle to capitalize with runners in scoring position. Bri Lupa pitched very well and very efficiently, 94 pitches in game one and 76 in game two. We asked her how she felt and she definitely wanted the ball in game two. On the positive side, I am pleased with how we are playing defense."
The Blue Angels (7-22) will next be in action on Friday, April 21st, against Maranatha Baptist Bible College. The doubleheader, scheduled for 3 and 5 pm, will be a home game for the Blue Angels and will be played at Five Diamonds at Infinity Fields in Waukesha. All Mount Mary softball coverage can be found here on www.mtmaryathletics.com
