CHICAGO, Ill. - The Saint Mary's softball team bounced back from a 4-2 setback in game one and claimed a 4-1 victory in game two in a doubleheader at North Park University on Tuesday.

 

The Belles struck first in game one. Mary Charniak led off the second inning with a single, and McKenna Myers used a sacrifice bunt to advance Charniak to third as Myers reached on a throwing error on the play. Myers then stole second, and a grounder pushed the opposite way by Libby Bierbaum drove in Charniak for the 1-0 lead.

 

The Vikings used a walk and a two-out double in the bottom half of the inning to tie things up at 1-1. The Belles put a pair of runners on base in the third with Alexis Rauch hitting a single down the right field line before Caitlin Traxler pushed a single through the right side. Back-to-back grounders, however, saw the scoring chance come up empty for Saint Mary's. 

 

The score remained unchanged until the fifth inning. McKenna Shoupe hit a one-out single, and Alexis Rauch added her second hit of the game to put two on base. A double by Caitlin Traxler drove in Shoupe while Rauch moved to third. A two-out walk by Mary Charniak loaded the bases, but the Belles were unable to inflict any further damage in the inning.

 

North Park plated three runs in the bottom half of the fifth to gain a 4-2 advantage late in the contest. The Belles had a chance to cut into the deficit in the sixth inning. Leah Zimmerman hit a two-out double, and McKenna Shoupe drew a walk to put two aboard. A fly out to left field ended the chance for Saint Mary's. The defense clamped down on the Vikings in the bottom half of the sixth as the Belles forced North Park into stranding two runners on base. Saint Mary's was unable to get the seventh-inning rally going as the Belles were retired in order in the 4-2 final.

 

Alexis Rauch went 2-for-3 in game one with a sacrifice hit. Caitlin Traxler was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Leah Zimmerman added a double, and Libby Bierbaum drove in a run. McKenna Shoupe and Mary Charniak each had a hit and scored a run. Shoupe drew a pair of walks while Charniak was walked once. Bierbaum shouldered the pitching loss in the circle after going the distance while striking out two.

 

Game two saw the Belles again take the lead early. McKenna Shoupe led the game off by drawing a walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch, and stealing third. Mary Charniak then drew a walk and stole second. Caitlin Traxler was walked to load the bases, and Libby Bierbaum used a grounder to drive in Shoupe for the game's first run.

 

The defense retired the Vikings in order in the first, and Sophie Allen cut down a runner trying to steal third in the bottom of the second. The Belles again retired the Vikings in order in the third to hold the 1-0 lead. North Park drew even in the bottom of the fourth to knot the game up at 1-1.

 

Saint Mary's came right back with a response in the top of the fifth. Madi Ingolia led off with a walk, and a bunt single followed by a throwing error on a ball hit by McKenna Shoupe put the pair into scoring position. Mary Charniak drew a walk to load the bases for the Belles, and a hard-hit infield single by Rylee Hershberger put Saint Mary's ahead 2-1. Libby Bierbaum put the ball in play in the next at-bat, and an error on an attempted double play allowed Mary Charniak to score while Bierbaum and Hershberger stood on the corners. Alexis Rauch delivered a single to left field to then drive in Hershberger as the Belles went up 4-1.

 

The Vikings threatened to cut into the Belles' lead in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of walks and a single to load the bases, but Caitlin Traxler induced a ground out to Libby Bierbaum at third to end the scoring chance. The defense stood tall again in the sixth by forcing the Vikings into stranding a runner, and the Belles shut the door on the comeback and captured the win as a fly out in the bottom of the seventh with two runners on base closed out the 4-1 victory.

 

Alexis Rauch added her second 2-for-3 effort of the day with an RBI. Rylee Hershberger went 2-for-4 with a double, a run, and an RBI. Mary Charniak laced a double, scored a run, stole a base, and walked twice. McKenna Shoupe added a hit, a run, a stolen base, and a walk. McKenna Myers posted a hit, and Madi Ingolia walked once and scored a run. Caitlin Traxler earned the complete-game win with one run on four hits with two strikeouts and no extra-base hits.

 

The Belles (2-10) are back in action on Tuesday, April 2 when they host Franklin for a doubleheader starting at 3:00 p.m.