AUBURNDALE, Fla. -  The Saint Mary's softball team used five-consecutive runs to earn a 7-4 win over Lasell but fell in an 11-9 final against Cornell College on Tuesday.

 

The Belles took the lead in the top of the first inning when McKenna Myers drove in Alexis Rauch and Mac Pepper with a two-out single. The Lasers responded with two runs in the first and another in the second to go up 3-2. Saint Mary's came right back in the top of the third. Rylee Hershberger laced a one-out triple, and Caitlin Traxler used a sacrifice fly to plate Hershberger to tie things up. Myers then hit a lead-off single in the top of the fourth and scored two batters later on a single up the middle by Maddie James to put the Belles ahead 4-3. 

 

Lasell was retired in order in the bottom of the fourth, and the Belles kept the bats going in the top of the fifth. Caitlin Traxler drew a one-out walk and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Alexis Rauch. McKenna Myers used a two-out double to drive in Traxler, and Libby Bierbaum blasted a home run over the center field fence to put Saint Mary's up 7-3. The Lasers were retired in order in the fifth, and the Belles got out of a jam defensively in the sixth as they forced Lasell into stranding three runners on base after loading them up with just one out as Bierbaum wrung up a strikeout before inducing a line drive out. A seventh-inning comeback by Lasell was also stopped short as the Lasers plated a run but a foul pop up was caught by Hershberger to end the game with the potential tying run up to bat.

 

McKenna Myers went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Rylee Hershberger hit a triple and scored a run. Libby Bierbaum added a home run, scored a run, and drove in two to help her own cause. Alexis Rauch had a hit, a sacrifice bunt, and scored a run while Mac Pepper collected a hit and scored once. Caitlin Traxler and Maddie James each drove in a run for the Belles. Bierbaum went the distance in the circle and earned the win after scattering four runs over seven innings with four strikeouts and just one extra-base hit allowed.

 

In the second game of the day, Cornell pushed two runs across in the top of the first to claim an early 2-0 lead. The Belles retired the side in order in the top of the second and broke into the scoring column in the bottom half of the inning. McKenna Myers drew a one-out walk and moved to third on an error on a ball off the bat of Sam Mikitka. Mandi Hettinger then drove in Myers with an infield ground out to manufacture the Belles' first run of the game. 

 

A strikeout shut the door on the Rams in the top of the third, and the Belles came right back with some offense in their at-bats. McKenna Shoupe reached on an error, and another error two batters later saw Rylee Hershberger reach first while Shoupe scored from second. Caitlin Traxler used a double to drive in Hershberger, and McKenna Myers delivered yet again with a two-out double to plate Traxler. Sam Mikitka drew a walk, and Mandi Hettinger drove in Myers with a single to give the Belles a 5-2 lead. The defense held yet again as Shoupe collected a fly out to strand a runner at third in the top of the fourth. Saint Mary's was more than ready to pick up the sticks in the bottom half of the frame. Anna Gruber drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. McKenna Shoupe beat out a bunt single to drive in Gruber. Mac Pepper added a bunt single of her own to put runners at the corners before Pepper swiped second. Rylee Hershberger belted a double down the left field line to drive in the pair to make it 8-2 with no outs gone. Caitlin Traxler was hit by a pitch, and the Belles had runners on the corners after a fielder's choice. A wild pitch allowed Hershberger to come in to score, and Saint Mary's carried a 9-2 lead into the fifth.

 

The Rams, however, started a comeback with three runs in the fifth to make it a 9-5 game. The Cornell defense retired the Belles in order in the bottom of the inning, and the Rams plated four more runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 9-9. A two-out rally by Cornell saw a double push two runs across, giving the Rams an 11-9 advantage. Alexis Rauch was hit by a pitch to start the seventh inning, but the Belles were unable to counter with a comeback of their own in the 11-9 final.

 

Rylee Hershberger, Caitlin Traxler, and McKenna Myers each hit a double for the Belles. Hershberger and Myers each scored twice, Traxler and Myers drove in a run apiece, and Traxler scored once. McKenna Shoupe had a hit, an RBI, and scored two runs. Mac Pepper collected a hit, a stolen base, and a run, and Mandi Hettinger had a hit and two RBIs. Anna Gruber added a run. Sam Mikitka had a no decision in the circle after going 5.1 innings and striking out three. Mandi Hettinger suffered the loss in relief after going the final 1.2 innings while only allowing one hit.

 

The Belles (2-4) are off from competition on Wednesday and return to the field on Thursday when they take on Ohio Northern and St. Scholastica starting at 9:00 a.m.