ALMA, Mich. - The Saint Mary's softball team fell in a pair of conference games at Alma on Friday afternoon. 

 

The Scots gained a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run. Natalie Quinlan caught a runner trying to steal, and the defense held strong with a pair of infield outs to keep well within striking distance. Alma added three runs in the bottom of the second with Quinlan cutting down another runner trying to steal as the Scots built a 4-0 lead. Neither team generated any offense in the third inning, but Alma pushed their advantage to 12-0 in the fourth with eight runs. Mandi Hettinger laced a single to left field in the top of the fifth as the Belles looked to keep the game alive, but a pair of infield ground outs ended the chance and the game by the 12-0 final in the opener.

 

Hettinger collected the team's sole hit of game one as the senior shouldered the pitching loss in the circle.

 

Game two saw the Belles respond in the bottom of the first inning of play. Alma claimed a 1-0 lead in the top half of the inning, but Saint Mary's got on the scoreboard in their first at-bats. Caitlin Traxler hit a single and scored on a Mandi Hettinger single with two-outs to knot the game at 1-1. 

 

The Scots countered with five runs in the top of the second. Winnie Tomsheck laced a single in the bottom half of the inning, and Maddie James came in to pinch run for the senior but was unable to come in to score. Alma plated seven runs in the top of the third before pushing eight runs across in the fourth. Saint Mary's continued to battle as Mandi Hettinger led off the bottom of the inning with a double to left field. McKenna Shoupe followed suit with a double of her own as Hettinger came in to score. Libby Bierbaum had a fly ball caught in center field, and a defensive play by the Scots at home on the next at-bat saw the rally end at one run for Saint Mary's in the fourth. 

 

The defense for the Belles forced the Scots into stranding a pair of runners in the top of the fifth inning. Again, the offense continued to battle down the stretch for Saint Mary's. Shelby Dellasandro led off with a pinch hit single, and Alexis Rauch laced a one-out single to center field to put a pair on base. McKenna Myers added a single of her own to center field to load the bases with just one out gone. Caitlin Traxler belted a no-doubt grand slam to right-center field to give the Belles a jolt of energy. Mandi Hettinger drew a walk to keep the offense going. A fielder's choice saw the senior out as McKenna Shoupe reached first base, and Libby Bierbaum hit a single to put runners on the corners. A fly out, however, cut down the chances of keeping the game alive for Saint Mary's in the 21-6 final.

 

Caitlin Traxler went 2-for-3 in game two with a grand slam, four RBI, and two runs scored. Mandi Hettinger was 2-for-2 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and a run. McKenna Myers added a 2-for-3 effort with a double and a run. McKenna Shoupe hit a double and drove in a run. Alexis Rauch tallied a hit and scored once, and Shelby Dellasandro collected a hit and scored for the Belles. Libby Bierbaum suffered the pitching loss while McKenna Grigoli, Grace Renschen, and Caitlin Traxler each made an appearance in the circle in game two.

 

The Belles (6-11, 2-6 MIAA) continue a stretch of conference doubleheaders on Saturday when they host Adrian at 1:00 p.m.