NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team came up short in 8-2 and 8-2 finals in a conference doubleheader against Adrian on Thursday evening.

 

The Bulldogs used a lead-off triple and a sacrifice fly in the top of the first to gain an early lead. Adrian capitalized on a pair of errors and added three hits to plate four runs in the top of the second for a 5-0 advantage. Alexis Rauch laced a two-out double to left field in the bottom of the second, but the Belles were unable to capitalize on the chance as a fly out ended the inning. 

 

After a scoreless third inning on both sides, the Bulldogs pushed two more runs across in the fourth. Caitlin Traxler led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk, and Libby Bierbaum pushed a single to right center field to put a pair of runners on base. A two-out error by the Bulldogs saw the Belles load the bases. The timely hit did not present itself for Saint Mary's as the Belles were stymied in the inning.

Saint Mary's retired Adrian in order in the fifth, and the Belles' bats came alive in the bottom of the inning. Leah Zimmerman reached on an error and moved to second on a passed ball. Caitlin Traxler then drew a two-out walk before Rylee Hershberger lofted a double to left field to drive in the pair to make it a 7-2 game. 

 

Leah Zimmerman made a tremendous catch in left field in the top of the sixth, and the Belles forced the Bulldogs into stranding a runner on base in the inning. Adrian plated a run in the top of the seventh to gain an 8-2 lead. The Belles worked to try to start a rally late in the game. Zimmerman led off with a solid single up the middle, and Madi Ingolia had a well-placed infield single to put two runners aboard. A fly out and a fielder's choice turned force out at second base, however, ended the scoring chance and the game by the 8-2 score.

 

Leah Zimmerman went 2-for-3 in the opener with a run. Rylee Hershberger added a double with two RBIs, and Alexis Rauch tallied a double. Libby Bierbaum and Madi Ingolia each had a hit, and Caitlin Traxler drew two walks and scored a run. Bierbuam went the distance in the circle and had one strikeout.

 

Adrian used three runs in the first and a run in the second for a 4-0 lead through two complete in game two. Saint Mary's responded with a run in the top of the third. Sophie Allen laced the first double of her collegiate career to the right-center gap with one out, and Mary Charniak drove in Allen with a single to center field to get the Belles on the scoreboard. Madi Ingolia drew a walk to put two runners on base, and the pair both moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. A ground out, however, stopped the Belles from inflicting any further damage in the inning.

 

The Belles came right back in their next at-bats to get right in the mix. Rylee Hershberger drew a lead-off walk, and Madi Minton came in to run for Hershberger. Sam Mikitka then dropped a two-out single to right field to drive in Minton from third. Sophie Allen drew a walk to keep the inning alive. The Belles, however, had their rally stopped early yet again with a strikeout to make it a 4-2 game. 

 

The defense forced Adrian into stranding runners at the corners in the fourth as Sam Mikitka pulled in a fly ball in right field. The Bulldogs did plate a run in the fifth before adding three in the sixth to gain an 8-2 lead. Mary Charniak used a two-out single in the top of the seventh to keep the game alive, but a ground out ended the game in the 8-2 final.

 

Mary Charniak went 2-for-4 with an RBI in game two. Sophie Allen hit a double, drew a walk, and scored a run. Sam Mikitka had a hit and an RBI. Caitlin Traxler and Alexis Rauch each chipped in a hit for Saint Mary's. Traxler went all six innings in the circle in game two while tallying three strikeouts in the loss. 

 

The Belles (8-18, 4-8 MIAA) travel to Calvin on Saturday for a conference doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.