NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team powered past Olivet in a conference doubleheader sweep by 8-0 and 18-2 scores in a pair of five-inning games on Friday.

 

After a three-up, three-down defensive top of the first, the Belles got on the scoreboard in their first at-bats of the day. McKenna Shoupe drew a walk and stole second before a sacrifice bunt by Mac Pepper moved Shoupe to third. Mandi Hettinger then drove in Shoupe with a ground out to the right side of the infield for the 1-0 lead.

 

Two innings later, Alyssa Gutierrez beat out a bunt single, stole second, moved up to third on a passed ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 Saint Mary's lead. The Belles forced the Comets into stranding a runner on base in both the fourth and the fifth inning while responding with offensive bursts in the bottom half of each of those innings. Saint Mary's hit through the lineup in the fourth to take over the momentum of the game. Anna Gruber hit a lead-off single, and JoAnna Keilman drew a walk to put two on base. Caitlin Traxlwer drove in Gruber with a single to left field, and McKenna Myers pushed Keilman and Traxler across home with a double for the 5-0 advantage.

 

The Comets hit a lead-off single to left field in the top of the fifth, but Mandi Hettinger shut the door on Olivet's offensive chances with a strikeout, a foul pop up to Winnie Tomsheck behind home plate, and a pop up to Traxler at second to end the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Gruber again led off with a single, and Traxler drove in the freshman with a triple to right field. A Myers single plated Traxler as the Belles moved within a run of ending the game. Alyssa Gutierrez beat out her second bunt single of the game to put runners on first and second with two outs, and a double to left-center gap drove in Myers with the game-ending run for the 8-0 win.

 

McKenna Myers was 3-for-3 with a double and three runs batted in for the Belles. Anna Gruber, Caitlin Traxler, and Alyssa Gutierrez each posted two hits as Gruber and Traxler scored twice. Traxler tallied two RBI, and Gutierrez scored once in game one. Mandi Hettinger picked up the complete game win in the circle with a five-inning shutout as the junior struck out two. Hettinger did not surrender a walk or an extra-base hit while needing fewer than 60 pitches to earn the victory.

 

In game two against the Comets, the Belles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Shoupe led off with a single before stealing second. Mac Pepper drew a walk, and the pair advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Myers. Hettinger pushed a run across with a single, and JoAnna Keilman drove in a pair with a double for the quick advantage. Olivet responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning, but Saint Mary's quickly regained the momentum in the top of the second with a four-run burst. Shoupe, Myers, Hettinger, and Traxler all scored as the Belles used four hits, an error, and a walk to their advantage.

 

Alyssa Gutierrez drew a walk and Myers drove her in three batters later in the third to make it an 8-2 lead. Saint Mary's then plated five runs in the fourth and five runs in the fifth as the Belles sent 18 batters to the plate in the two innings combined. In that span, McKenna Shoupe hit a pair of triples with three RBI, JoAnna Keilman and McKenna Myers each had a double and a single, and Caitlin Traxler and McKayla Noecker each registered a hit as six different players combined to score all ten runs for the Belles. The 18 runs marks the most for a team under head coach Kelli Zache Martin.

 

McKenna Shoupe went 4-for-5 in the lead-off position with two triples, four runs, three RBI, and two stolen bases in game two. McKenna Myers was 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI, and a run. JoAnna Keilman added a 3-for-4 effort with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs. McKayla Noecker went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs. Caitlin Traxler posted a 2-for-2 showing at the dish with a triple, three RBI, and two runs. Traxler also earned the win after going three complete in the circle with one earned run and a strikeout. Libby Bierbaum closed out the final two innings and did not surrender a hit or allow a runner on base in her appearance.

 

The Belles (4-4, 3-1 MIAA) are back in action on Saturday when they host Alma for a conference doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m.