Softball

PEORIA, Ill. - Junior Aislinn Strusz (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) tallied three hits and two RBI and freshman Sam Allen (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) blasted a two-run homer as the Mount Mary University softball team recorded its first win of the season at the MMU Collegiate Slugger Series Thursday evening, 7-6, over Loras.

The Blue Angels split its Thursday slate at the second weekend of the tournament, falling to Carroll (Wis.) 9-5 in Thursday's opener before hanging on to defeat Loras in the nightcap.

CARROLL 9, MMU 5

Mount Mary opened Part II of the Slugger Series with a strong showing against regional foe Carroll, before an eventful fourth inning broke open the game for the Pioneers.

The Blue Angels cracked the scoreboard first in the bottom of the third thanks to a leadoff walk to junior Karley Vega (Milwaukee, Wis./West Allis Central). Senior Kirsten George (Fairborn, Ohio/Fairborn) moved Vega to second on a sacrifice before a deep poke to right center by Strusz put Mount Mary up 1-0 after three.

Carroll (1-0) seemingly woke up in the top of the fourth, posting an 8-spot on seven hits—including a homer and two doubles—and a handful of MMU miscues. It would add another run in the top of the fifth to put the mercy rule into play.

The Blue Angels would not go quietly, however, as George led off with a drive up the middle. Junior Lauren Nylund (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) moved over sophomore pinch runner Jalyssa Rivera (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha North) on a perfectly executed bunt single, and Strusz reached on an error by the Pioneer shortstop to load the bases. Allen then efficiently cleared the bases with a grand slam to left center to cut the Pioneer lead in half.

Freshman Marissa Heraly (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) and sophomore Kaitlyn Gilpin (Lyons, Ill./Lyons Township) kept the momentum going with back-to-back one-out singles, and a walk drawn by junior Taylor Hienbuecher (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) loaded the bases for the second time that inning. This time, Carroll would escape with a force out at home and a strikeout to curb the threat.

After a quiet top of the sixth, the Blue Angels loaded the bases for the third time after singles by Nylund and Strusz, followed by a walk to sophomore Brianna Ecker (Fond du Lac, Wis./Stockbridge). Yet, Carroll would once again wriggle free from danger with a pair of big strikeouts, effectively securing the hard-fought victory.

Seven MMU batters recorded a hit in the loss, led by Strusz going 2-for-4 at the plate. Allen's homerun was the first for MMU since Blue Angel Graduate Assistant Coach Amelia Flint hit one in a 7-4 victory over Alverno on April 25, 2019. Interestingly, Flint also hit the most recent grand slam for MMU Softball, doing so against Macalester on February 16, 2019.

Gilpin took the losing decision in the circle, giving up 14 hits and just five earned runs while striking out three.

MMU 7, LORAS 6

The Blue Angels jumped on Loras' starting pitcher early and often in the nightcap. Strusz lead off with a double to left and in the very next at-bat, Allen lifted her second home run of the day over the left-centerfield fence o give MMU the early 2-0 lead. An ensuing Ecker single, followed by a driven double by Heraly chased the Duhawk starter. Freshman hurler Brianna Lupa (Plano, Ill./Plano) then singled on a hot shot to second base to score Ecker and Gilpin executed a sacrifice bunt situation to perfection, scoring Heraly.

Loras cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the inning, then added a solo shot in the second and an RBI single in the third to draw even at 4-4 through three.

MMU responded in the fourth with an Ecker double that danced down the right field line, scoring Allen from first base. A two-out single up the middle from Nylund, followed by a hit-by-pitch issued to sophomore Shawna Butler (Ely, Minn./Ely) turned the lineup over in the top of the fifth. Strusz came through clutch with a 2-RBI double to deep right center to go up 7-4.

Loras got two back in the home half of the fifth on a three-hit inning, but Lupa ended the threat by inducing an easy pop up back to the circle.

Clinging to the one-run lead, MMU nearly saw the game slip away with a pair of untimely errors in the sixth and a leadoff double in the seventh, but Lupa slammed the door shut with a groundout and pair of strikeouts and a lineout in respective stanzas to seal the first win of the season.

Strusz finished 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI on a pair of doubles, and Allen went 1-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored, and a pair of RBI on her second home run of the evening. Ecker went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored, and eight Blue Angel batters recorded a hit in the balanced offensive showing.

Lupa picked up the first winning decision of her young collegiate career with a season-high six strikeouts to accompany nine hits and five earned runs-against.

ON DECK FOR MMU

The Blue Angels will finish their slate at the MMU Collegiate Slugger Series with a quick turnaround Friday morning, facing St. Scholastica and Wisconsin Lutheran.