NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team fell 8-3 and 8-6 in a league conference doubleheader against Hope on Monday evening.

 

Saint Mary's got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning of game one. Alyssa Gutierrez pushed a one-out single into right field, and Mandi Hettinger added a single just inside the right field line to put a pair on base. Two batters later, an error by the Hope shortstop allowed Gutierrez to score as Hettinger advanced to second on the play. McKenna Myers then bounced a single up the middle, and Hettinger came around from second to score for the 2-0 advantage.

 

Hope got a run back in the top of the second with a solo home run. After a three-up, three-down inning defensively in the third, Saint Mary's pushed their lead to 3-1 with a solo home run by JoAnna Keilman. Caitlin Traxler hit a single before Myers drew a walk, but the Belles were unable to add to the advantage.

 

In the top of the fourth, the Flying Dutch made it a 3-2 game after the lead-off batter reached on an error and a double plated the runner. With one out gone three batters later and runners on second and third, a hard-hit grounder to shortstop JoAnna Keilman resulted in a near double-play, but the Hope runner was called safe at first rather than the inning coming to an end. The Flying Dutch capitalized with four unearned runs to gain a 6-3 lead.

 

The Belles had chances to cut into the deficit after loading the bases in the fourth inning before a ground out ended the chance. Hope plated two unearned runs in the top of the seventh, and Saint Mary's was retired in order in the 8-3 game-one final.

 

Mac Pepper went 2-for-3, and JoAnna Keilman was 1-for-3 with a home run. Alyssa Gutierrez and Mandi Hettinger each added a hit and scored a run for the Belles. Hettinger suffered the pitching loss after going 3.2 innings while only allowing one earned run on six hits. Libby Bierbaum was effective over the final 3.1 innings as she did not allow a hit and the two runs scored against the freshman were both unearned.

 

In the nightcap, the Flying Dutch got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first with an RBI single and added a run in the second with a solo home run. The Belles responded in the top of the fourth inning with a pair of runs of their own. Alyssa Gutierrez drew a lead-off walk, and JoAnna Keilman dropped a one-out single to right-center field to put a pair on base. McKenna Myers then delivered a two-out single to left field as Gutierrez and Keilman both scored before Myers was tagged out at first base.

 

Hope countered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead at 4-2. The Flying Dutch added four more runs in the fifth inning, but the Belles battled right back in the top of the sixth. Mandi Hettinger led off with a single, and Caitlin Traxler delivered a one-out double to left-center to put two runners into scoring position. Myers continued to have a hot bat in the game as the freshman hit a single to right-center, allowing Hettinger to score. Libby Bierbaum then blasted her first collegiate home run to left-center field to make it an 8-6 game. Winnie Tomsheck drew a walk, and McKenna Shoupe added a two-out single as Anna Gruber advanced to third after pinch running for Tomsheck. The pair, however, were stranded on base as a strikeout ended the inning. The comeback effort for the Belles fell short as Saint Mary's was retired in order in the seventh in the 8-6 final.

 

McKenna Myers was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a run. Libby Bierbaum belted a home run in her lone at-bat of the game as the freshman collected three RBIs on the long ball. McKenna Shoupe added a 2-for-4 effort, and Caitlin Traxler tallied a double. Alyssa Gutierrez, Mandi Hettinger, JoAnna Keilman, and Traxler all scored a run. Mandi Hettinger shouldered the game-two loss after going 4.2 innings in the circle. Libby Bierbaum had her second effective relief outing as the freshman did not allow any runs and surrendered just one hit while striking out one.

 

The Belles (11-13, 6-6 MIAA) are back at home on Wednesday when they host Kalamazoo for a conference doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.