NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team celebrated senior Mac Pepper's Senior Day with an offensive outburst in 16-0 (5 innings) and 17-2 (5 innings) wins over Olivet on Wednesday.

 

The Belles sent 18 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning and put up 12 runs. Saint Mary's saw all nine batters in the lineup safely reach in their first at-bats and also score a run without an out being recorded. McKenna Shoupe had two hits - a lead-off single and a bases-loaded triple - while Mac Pepper and McKenna Myers each added two hits in the inning. Shoupe, Pepper, and Caitlin Traxler each scored twice as the Belles set the tone early.

 

Saint Mary's retired the Comets in order in the top of the second inning to quickly turn around and pick the bats back up in the bottom of the inning. Pepper reached on an error by the Comets, and Caitlin Traxler laced a line drive double off the top of the fence in right-center field to drive in Pepper. Two batters later, McKenna Myers blasted a home run to center field to drive in two more runs for a 15-0 advantage.

 

Olivet got a runner on base in the top of the third before quick back-to-back outs ended the inning. Sam Mikitka then led off the bottom of the frame with a single before advancing on a passed ball. Maddie James added a single of her own to put runners at the corners, and McKenna Shoupe used a sacrifice fly to drive in Mikitka. The Belles loaded the bases after a Caitlin Traxler walk and a Libby Bierbaum single with two outs, but Saint Mary's was unable to tack on any more runs in the inning as a fly out ended the at-bats.

 

The defense continued to clamp down on the Comets in the fourth and fifth innings. The Belles forced Olivet into stranding a runner on base in the fourth, and a three-up, three-down inning in the fifth ended the game by the 16-0 final.

 

Every player in the Belles' starting lineup had at least one hit in game one. McKenna Myers led the way with a 3-for-4 effort with a home run, three RBIs, and two runs. McKenna Shoupe, Mac Pepper, Libby Bierbaum, Alexis Rauch, and Sam Mikitka each collected two hits. Shoupe posted a single-game career-high four RBIs with two runs scored. Pepper scored three runs and drove in a run. Bierbaum had two RBIs with a run scored. Rauch tallied a double, drove in two runs, and scored once. Mikitka posted two runs and an RBI. Caitlin Traxler hit a double and scored three runs with an RBI. Bierbaum, meanwhile, collected the complete-game shutout in the circle with two strikeouts, no walks, and just two singles allowed in five innings.

 

Game two saw Saint Mary's push three runs across in the top of the first inning. McKenna Shoupe started the game with a lead-off walk, and Mac Pepper beat out an infield single. Caitlin Traxler drove in Shoupe with a single, and a passed ball saw Pepper and Traxler both move into scoring position. A hard grounder off the glove of the Olivet pitcher allowed Pepper to score, and Traxler crossed home on a passed ball for the 3-0 lead.

 

The Belles distanced themselves a bit with a six-run outburst in the top of the second. Saint Mary's loaded the bases with one out after Maddie James, McKenna Shoupe, and Mac Pepper all reached safely. Caitlin Traxler used a single to drive in James and Shoupe, and Libby Bierbaum hit a single to push Pepper across home plate. McKenna Myers drew a walk to load the bases, and Alexis Rauch drove a hard-hit single through the left side as Traxler scored easily. A passed ball moved everyone up with Bierbaum scoring on the play, and Rylee Hershberger drove in Myers with a sacrifice fly as Saint Mary's pushed their lead to 9-0.

 

After quick defensive work, the Belles came right back with six more runs in the top of the third. Maddie James hit a single, and walks by Mac Pepper and Caitlin Traxler loaded the bases with one out gone. Libby Bierbaum drove a single the opposite way to drive in James and Pepper, and an infield ground out saw Traxler score. Aelxis Rauch drew a walk of her own, and Rylee Hershberger pushed Bierbaum and Rauch across home plate with a double. Sam Mikitka extended the lead to 15-0 with an RBI single to right field to drive in Hershberger.

 

Olivet got on the scoreboard with a run in the fourth, but the Belles countered with two runs of their own in the top of the fifth. Alexis Rauch led off with a double, and an error on a ball hit by Sophie Allen put runners on the corners. Morgan Flynn had a hard-hit fly ball to right field caught, but it was more than enough to give Flynn her first collegiate RBI as Rauch tagged up and scored. Maddie James drew a walk, and Mac Pepper legged out a double two batters later to drive in Allen for a 17-1 advantage.

 

The Comets got one run in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Belles closed down any idea of a late-inning rally and took the 17-2 win. 

 

Alexis Rauch went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs, and an RBI. Mac Pepper went 2-for-2 with a double, three walks, three runs scored, and an RBI. Libby Bierbaum was 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs. Caitlin Traxler went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs, and Maddie James posted a 2-for-3 effort with two runs and a walk. Rylee Hershberger drove in three runs, and McKenna Shoupe scored twice. Traxler picked up the complete-game win in the circle after throwing all five innings with three strikeouts.

 

The Belles (9-23, 4-10 MIAA) take a break from conference play on Friday when they host Manchester for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.