Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Belles Fall on Day Four in Florida

Rylee Hershberger watches the ball (out of view) after swinging a bat.
CLERMONT, Fla. - The Saint Mary's softball team had a tight 4-3 loss to Farmingdale State before falling 8-4 to Edgewood on Thursday.
 

The Belles forced the Rams into stranding a runner on third as Libby Bierbaum induced a line drive out to Caitlin Traxler to end the top of the first. In the top of the second, McKenna Shoupe made a catch in deep left-center field before McKenna Myers snagged a high-hopping grounder up the line to end the Rams' at-bats. Saint Mary's nearly got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. With McKenna Myers on base, Rylee Hershberger sent a deep shot to center field, which was caught by the Rams' center fielder to end the inning. The top of the third saw Farmingdale State use a two-out single up the middle to drive in a runner from third for the game's first run. The Rams added a second run before the Belles closed out the defensive inning with a ground out to Mary Charniak at shortstop.

Farmingdale State added another run in the top of the fourth before a pair of infield ground outs sent the game to the bottom of the fourth. The Belles got out of a jam defensively in the fifth inning as a Libby Bierbaum to McKenna Myers to Sophie Allen double play cut down a runner at home to end the inning.

Libby Bierbaum led off the bottom of the fifth with a line-drive rope to right-center field for a single. Two batters later, Rylee Hershberger laced a double down the left field line to put two runners into scoring position. Sam Mikitka hit a hard grounder to the shortstop, and Bierbaum forced the Rams into making a throw. That throw was off the mark as Bierbaum came in to score easily while Hershberger moved to third and Mikitka stood on second. Leah Zimmerman got a bunt down and used the sacrifice out to score Hershberger, and a single by McKenna Shoupe up the middle tied things up as Mikitka came in to score. Mary Charniak was hit by a pitch in her plate appearance, but the Belles were unable to push any more runs across in the inning as the game moved to the sixth.

Saint Mary's retired Farmingdale State in order in the top of the inning, but the Belles were similarly retired in order in the bottom half of the frame. The Rams, however, used a single, a sacrifice bunt, and another hit to plate a run and hold a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.

Rylee Hershberger led off the seventh with a single down the left field line, and Madi Ingolia came in to pinch run at first base. Two batters later, Leah Zimmerman dropped a single into left field to put two aboard for the Belles. A slow-bouncing grounder up the middle by McKenna Shoupe put runners on the corners with two outs as Zimmerman was tagged out on the play. Shoupe swiped second base two pitches later to put the potential winning run into scoring position. Mary Charniak drew a walk to load the bases, but the Belles were unable to keep the game alive as a ground out ended things by a 4-3 final score.

Rylee Hershberger went 2-for-3 with a double and a run. Leah Zimmerman was 1-for-2 with an RBI, and Libby Bierbaum went 1-for-3 with a run. McKenna Shoupe added a run and an RBI, and Sam Mikitka scored a run for the Belles. Bierbaum went the distance in the circle and allowed only two earned runs over seven innings of work.

Edgewood plated three runs in the bottom of the first to gain an early lead in the nightcap. Rylee Hershberger hit a one-out double, and Libby Bierbaum reached first base safely to put a pair on base in the top of the second. A pick off play and a fly out, however, left the Belles empty-handed. The Belles broke into the scoring column in the top of the third. Sam Mikitka hit a lead-off single before being forced out on a fielder's choice by McKenna Shoupe. Mary Charniak came up and drove in Shoupe from first with a single to make it a 3-1 game.

The Eagles pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the third. The Belles, meanwhile, came back with a run of their own in the fourth. Caitlin Traxler hit a lead-off single, and Rylee Hershberger followed suit with a single to center field. A one-out single by McKenna Myers two batters later loaded the bases, and Sam Mikitka drew a walk to drive in Traxler. Saint Mary's was unable to keep the offense rolling in the inning, however, as a force out at the plate and a pop up stopped the Belles from adding any more runs.

Edgewood used three unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it an 8-2 score. Saint Mary's continued to battle, and the Belles broke through again in the top of the sixth. Rylee Hershberger hit a lead-off double as Leah Zimmerman came in to pinch run. McKenna Myers drew a one-out walk before Zimmerman stole third to put runners on the corners. Sam Mikitka used a single to right field to plate both Zimmerman and Myers on the play to make it an 8-4 score. Back-to-back outs stranded Mikitka on second. Mary Charniak led off the seventh with a single, but the late-inning rally ended there as the next three batters were retired for the 8-4 final.

Rylee Hershberger went 3-for-4 in game two with two doubles, and Sam Mikitka was 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBI and a walk. Mary Charniak posted a 2-for-4 effort with an RBI. Caitlin Traxler and McKenna Myers each had a hit and scored a run, and McKenna Shoupe came across to score a run for the Belles. Mikitka shouldered the loss in the circle after going 2.1 innings. Traxler closed out the final 3.2 innings with no earned runs.

The Belles (0-8) conclude their spring break trip on Friday when they face Juniata at 4:15 p.m. and Susquehanna at 6:30 p.m.