ADRIAN, Mich. - The Saint Mary's softball team bounced back from a 3-1 setback in game one to take a 4-2 win in game two at Adrian in a conference doubleheader on Tuesday evening.

 

The two sides were deadlocked in a 0-0 battle in game one until the bottom of the fourth inning. The Bulldogs used back-to-back singles, a sacrifice bunt, and a single to plate the first run of the game. Adrian tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-out, two-RBI single.  With one out gone in the top of the seventh, JoAnna Keilman got all of a full-count pitch as the senior belted her second home run of the season and the fourth of her career to give the Belles life late in the game. The Bulldogs, however, closed out the game with back-to-back outs for the 3-1 final.

 

JoAnna Keilman was 1-for-3 with a solo home run. Alyssa Gutierrez collected a hit in three at-bats for the Belles, and McKenna Myers drew a walk. Mandi Hettinger suffered the pitching loss after going the distance, walking one, and striking out four.

 

In game two, the Belles forced the Bulldogs into stranding runners in scoring position in the first, second, and third innings. Sydney Swartz then had a well-hit ball to center field misplayed by the Bulldogs as the senior got on second to start the bottom of the third. Mac Pepper beat out an infield single to put two runners on base, and McKenna Shoupe sacrifice bunted the pair up to put them into scoring position. Alyssa Gutierrez laced a double to left field as Swartz and Pepper scored easily on the play to give Saint Mary's the 2-0 advantage.

 

The Belles nearly worked out of another jam in the top of the fifth inning. After a lead-off walk and a single along with a pair of stolen bases put runners on second and third for the Bulldogs, JoAnna Keilman made a diving snag at shortstop to record the first out of the inning. Winnie Tomsheck then tracked down a popped up bunt attempt in foul territory for the second out. A two-out, two-RBI single to left field, however, saw the Bulldogs knot the game at 2-2 before Sydney Swartz tracked down a fly ball in left to end the inning.

 

The top of the sixth saw Saint Mary's shut the door on another scoring opportunity for Adrian as the Bulldogs stranded another runner in scoring position. In the bottom of the sixth, Mandi Hettinger led things off with a single to right field before JoAnna Keilman reached on an error. Caitlin Traxler successfully put down the sacrifice bunt to move the pair up 60 feet. Two batters later, Libby Bierbaum helped her own cause in a big way by driving a double to the right-center gap as Hettinger and Keilman scored standing up on the play. The Bulldogs threatened yet again in the top of the seventh by putting runners on second and third with two outs, but Swartz tracked down another fly ball to left to end the inning and the game with the 4-2 final score.

 

Mandi Hettinger was 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and a run. Libby Bierbaum and Alyssa Gutierrez each went 1-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBIs. Mac Pepper was 1-for-1 with a walk and a run, and JoAnna Keilman and Sydney Swartz each scored once. Libby Bierbaum picked up the complete-game win as the freshman scattered six hits over seven innings and struck out four.

 

The Belles (8-8, 6-4 MIAA) travel to Hope on Friday to take on both the host Flying Dutch and Adrian in a pair of non-conference competitions starting at noon.