NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team took a 2-0 win in game one and erased a 4-1 deficit in game two for a 5-4 (8 innings) victory to sweep a conference doubleheader against Kalamazoo on Saturday.

 

The Belles were unable to capitalize on having a pair of runners on in the first inning of game two before shutting down the Hornets in the top of the second when Kalamazoo put two runners on base. The defense came up big again in the top of the third as the Hornets loaded the bases with just one out gone. Madi Ingolia collected a shallow fly ball in right before Mary Charniak got a force out at third to shut the door on Kalamazoo.

 

The Belles got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning after a one-out single by McKena Myers and a walk by Alexis Rauch. Sam Mikitka then drove a hit the opposite way to drive in Myers from second base for the 1-0 lead. Saint Mary's forced Kalamazoo into stranding two more runners in the fifth before adding a second run in the bottom of the sixth. Rylee Hershberger drew a lead-off walk, and Leah Zimmerman came in to pinch run. McKenna Myers used a sacrifice bunt to advance Zimmerman, and an errant throw two batters later allowed Zimmerman to score on the play. 

 

Kalamazoo put a runner on base in the top of the seventh, but a groundout to Mary Charniak ended the game with a 2-0 victory going to the Belles.

 

McKenna Myers had a hit and scored a run while Sam Mikitka had a hit and drove in a run in game one. Mary Charniak and McKenna Shoupe each posted a hit, and Leah Zimmerman scored a run. Alexis Rauch drew two walks, and Caitlin Traxler and Rylee Hershberger each had a walk. Libby Bierbaum scattered six hits over seven innings with a strikeout on her way to the complete-game shutout victory in the circle.

 

Saint Mary's struck right away in the top of the first inning of game two as Mary Charniak blasted a home run to left field.

 

Kalamazoo, meanwhile, plated two runs in the bottom of the first and added two more in the bottom of the second for a 4-1 advantage.

 

The Belles came back with a run in the top of the third. Mary Charniak pushed a single through the left side, and a sacrifice bunt moved Charniak to second. A passed ball allowed the freshman to move to third, and a deep sacrifice fly to right field by Caitlin Traxler made it a 4-2 game.

 

Saint Mary's plated two more runs in the top of the fifth to knot the game up at 4-4. Charniak continued to have a hot bat as the freshman led off with a single. Another sacrifice bunt by Shoupe pushed Charniak up to second, and a passed ball again allowed her to move to third. Rylee Hershberger delivered a two-out double to left field to plate Charniak, and McKenna Myers belted a double to the right-center gap to drive in Hershberger.

 

Both sides put runners on base in the sixth and seventh but were unable to push anyone across. Libby Bierbaum led off the eighth with her fourth hit of the game, and a sacrifice bunt turned error allowed the senior to move to third. Madi Ingolia then used a ground out to drive in Bierbaum with the go-ahead run. The Hornets threatened to tie things up in the eighth, but the defense for the Belles got a big line-drive double play to quickly get two outs. Caitlin Traxler then induced a ground out to Rylee Hershberger at second to end the game at 5-4 for Saint Mary's.

 

Libby Bierbaum posted a 4-for-4 hitting effort in game two with a double and a run. Mary Charniak went 3-for-4 at the dish with her first collegiate home run and three runs in game two. Rylee Hershberger hit two doubles, scored a run, and drove in one. McKenna Myers added a double, a single, and an RBI. Sam Mikitka picked up a double. Caitlin Traxler and Madi Ingolia each drove in a run. Traxler picked up the complete-game pitching win with two strikeouts and just one earned run allowed.

 

The Belles (8-12, 4-2 MIAA) are set to travel to Trine on Wednesday, April 17 for a conference doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.