ALMA, Mich. - The Saint Mary's softball team was stopped short 6-3 and 7-1 in a conference doubleheader at Alma on Saturday.
The Belles had a strong defensive stop in the bottom of the first inning. The Belles cut down a runner at third base before a strikeout by Libby Bierbaum gave Saint Mary's two outs. McKenna Shoupe then tracked down a fly ball in center field to shut the door. After forcing Alma into stranding another runner in the second, the Scots got on the scoreboard with a two-run double in the bottom of the third. Alma doubled their advantage with a two-run home run for a 4-0 lead.
Mary Charniak nearly snuck a single down the right field line in the top of the fourth only to have the effort snagged by the Scots' right fielder. Two batters later, Rylee Hershberger worked her way from behind in the count to draw a two-out walk. Libby Bierbaum then split the right-center gap with a single to put runners on the corners. Alexis Rauch drew a walk to load the bases for the Belles. A potential gapper by McKenna Myers nearly fell as an outfield collision saw the Scots come away with a catch in left-center to end the scoring chance.
Libby Bierbaum struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the fourth, and McKenna Shoupe tracked down a flyout with a runner on second to force the Scots into stranding a runner in scoring position as the game moved on. McKenna Shoupe drew a four-pitch, two-out walk in the top of the fifth before stealing second base to get into scoring position. Mary Charniak then laced a single just beyond the reach of the shortstop to easily plate Shoupe to get the Belles on the scoreboard.
Alma countered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Rylee Hershberger led off the top of the sixth with a single through the left side before Madi Ingolia came in to pinch run. Two batters later, Alexis Rauch drew a walk to put a pair of runners aboard for the Belles. McKenna Myers dropped a single into center field to plate Ingolia from second to make it a 6-2 score. Sam Mikitka pushed a single the opposite way and through the right side of the infield to load the bases as the Scots made a pitching change. A fielder's choice on Leah Zimmerman's grounder allowed Rauch to score while putting runners on the corners with two outs. A close play at first on a grounder up the line by McKenna Shoupe went the Scots' way as the game moved to the bottom of the sixth with Alma ahead 6-3.
The Belles retired the Scots in order in the bottom of the sixth to quickly get back up to bat. Mary Charniak had a seeing-eye hit to left field and moved up to second to lead off the seventh with a double. The Belles, however, were unable to get the comeback going as the next three Saint Mary's hitters were retired in the 6-3 final.
Mary Charniak was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Belles. McKenna Myers had a hit and an RBI, and Rylee Hershberger, Sam Mikitka, and Libby Bierbaum each tallied a hit. Leah Zimmerman drove in a run, and McKenna Shoupe, Madi Ingolia, and Alexis Rauch each scored a run. Shoupe added a stolen base and a walk, and Rauch drew two walks in the game. Bierbaum suffered the pitching loss after going four complete in the circle with five strikeouts. Mikitka closed out the final two innings down the stretch.
With Saint Mary's serving as the home team for game two per MIAA rules, the Belles forced Alma into stranding a runner in the top of the first inning. Mary Charniak then led off the bottom of the inning before McKenna Shoupe put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Charniak to second. Saint Mary's, however, was unable to move the freshman any further as the game stayed scoreless through one.
The Scots got their lead-off batter on base in the second before the Belles posted back-to-back outs. Alma used a pair of walks to load the bases. A pitch nearly got away from Sophie Allen, but the sophomore recovered and cut down the runner at third who had taken too big of a lead and was trying to retreat to the base to end the inning.
The Belles got things going in the bottom of the second inning with a single by Alexis Rauch and a fielder's choice turned error by McKenna Myers. Sam Mikitka dropped a single into right field, and Rauch came in to score on a throwing error at third. Myers and Mikitka each moved up 60 feet on a wild pitch, and Mary Charniak was then intentionally walked to load the bases with two outs gone. Saint Mary's was unable to inflict further damage as a fly out ended the inning.
The Scots hit back-to-back doubles to start the third as Alma pulled even at 1-1. A fly out followed by back-to-back strikeouts by Caitlin Traxler forced the Scots into stranding a runner on second as the game moved on. Alma used a two-out, two-run double to left field in the fourth to gain a 3-1 advantage. McKenna Shoupe ran down a fly ball in the left-center gap to force Alma into stranding two runners to end the inning.
Alexis Rauch led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to center field, but the Belles were unable to advance the junior any further in the inning. Alma posted a run in the top of the fifth as the Scots extended their lead to 4-1. In the bottom of the inning, McKenna Shoupe legged out an infield single with one out, but back-to-back outs again ended the scoring chance early for Saint Mary's.
The Scots plated two runs in the sixth to go ahead 6-1. Libby Bierbaum then led off the bottom of the sixth with a single up the middle, and Madi Minton came in to pinch run at first base. The timely hit, however, did not come for Saint Mary's as the Belles still trailed 6-1 going into the seventh.
Alma added a run to go up 7-1 heading into the bottom half of the seventh. Madi Ingolia drew a one-out walk, and McKenna Shoupe added a two-out walk to try to get a late rally going for the Belles. The comeback effort ended there as a comeback grounder to the pitcher led to the final out of the game in the 7-1 contest.
Alexis Rauch was 2-for-3 at the dish in game two with a run. McKenna Shoupe added a hit and drew a walk while Libby Bierbaum and Sam Mikitka each tallied a hit. Caitlin Traxler shouldered the loss after going the distance and striking out five.
The Belles (2-12, 0-2 MIAA) are back on the road on Tuesday, April 9 when they travel to Olivet for a conference doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.