OLIVET, Mich. - The Saint Mary's softball team claimed a resounding 22-1 (5 innings) win in game one before taking a 2-1 victory in game two against Olivet in a conference doubleheader on Tuesday.
The opener saw the Belles get on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning. Rylee Hershberger led off on a dropped fly ball and moved to second on the play. A ground out moved Hershberger to third, and McKenna Myers drove her in with a sacrifice fly to center field. In the bottom half of the inning, Sophie Allen cut down a runner trying to steal third to end the inning for the defense.
Saint Mary's then plated five runs in the top of the third. Leah Zimmerman started things off with a one-out single, and Mary Charniak and McKenna Shoupe each added a single as Zimmerman scored. Two batters later, Rylee Hershberger hit a two-out double to left-center field to drive in Charniak and Shoupe. Alexis Rauch added the fifth hit of the inning with a single to the outfield to push Caitlin Traxler across home plate. A sacrifice fly by McKenna Myers saw Hershberger score from third, and the Belles held a 6-0 lead going into the bottom of the third.
The Comets got on the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the third inning before McKenna Shoupe tracked down a fly ball in right-center to end it. The Belles responded in a monstrous way in the top of the fourth as Saint Mary's scored 13 runs on 11 hits with two errors while sending 18 batters to the dish. Shoupe tallied two hits and scored twice, Alexis Rauch and McKenna Myers each had a double and a single, and Caitlin Traxler added two hits and two runs in the inning. Sam Mikitka, Mary Charniak, and Rylee Hershberger each added a hit in the inning as the Belles built a 19-1 lead.
The defense shut the door on Olivet in the bottom of the inning as Libby Bierbaum chalked up back-to-back swinging strikeouts to force the Comets into stranding a runner at third. The offense, meanwhile, was not done just yet for the visiting side. Kennedy Cornett led off with a single, and Madi Minton added an infield single to put a pair on base. Emma Smiley then pushed a single up the middle to drive in Cornett. A throwing error with two outs kept the inning alive while also allowing Minton to come in to score for a 22-1 advantage.
The Belles then quickly closed out the win by retiring the Comets in order as Bierbaum used a strikeout to capture the win.
McKenna Shoupe went 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI. Alexis Rauch added a 3-for-5 effort with a double, three RBI, and a run. Rylee Hershberger was 2-for-4 with a double, four RBI, and four runs scored. McKenna Myers went 2-for-2 with a double, a sacrifice fly, four RBI, and a run. Mary Charniak went 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs, and Caitlin Traxler added two hits with two RBI and three runs for the Belles. Kennedy Cornett, Madi Minton, and Emma Smiley, meanwhile, each collected the first hit of their collegiate careers while each scoring a run. Libby Bierbaum earned the win in the circle after allowing just two hits over five innings while striking out six.
After retiring Olivet in order in the top of the first inning of game two, Saint Mary's threatened to get on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the frame. Mary Charniak reached safely to lead off the inning and moved to second on a passed ball. Caitlin Traxler hit a single to put runners on the corners, but a line-drive double play ended the chance.
The Belles got out of a jam in the top of the third. Olivet hit a two-out double and used a passed ball to move the runner to third, but a line drive out was caught by Caitlin Traxler at second to end the Comets' offensive end of the inning. Saint Mary's also forced Olivet into stranding a runner in scoring position in the top of the fourth.
Saint Mary's looked to break through in the bottom of the fourth inning. Rylee Hershberger led off with a single, and Alexis Rauch used a sacrifice bunt to move Hershberger from first to third. Back-to-back infield outs, however, left the Belles empty-handed as the game moved ahead. The defense, meanwhile, continued to come up with key plays as Saint Mary's turned a would-be sacrifice bunt into a double play in the fifth.
The Comets used a two-out hit in the top of the sixth to plate a runner from second base for a 1-0 lead. The Belles responded in the bottom half of the inning. Alexis Rauch hit a one-out single, and Libby Bierbaum used a two-out double to put a pair of runners into scoring position. Sam Mikitka helped her own cause in a big way with a single to drive in Rauch. An error on a ball hit by Madi Ingolia then allowed Bierbaum to score the go-ahead run. Mikitka made quick work of the Comets in the top of the seventh as the sophomore induced three infield groundouts to close out the 2-1 win.
Madi Ingolia went 2-for-3 in game two for the Belles. Libby Bierbaum was 1-for-3 with a double and a run, and Alexis Rauch was 1-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt and a run. Sam Mikitka had a hit and an RBI, and McKenna Shoupe, Caitlin Traxler, Rylee Hershberger, and McKenna Myers each had a hit. Mikitka earned the complete-game win after scattering three hits over seven innings with two strikeouts.
The Belles (4-12, 2-2 MIAA) are back in action on Wednesday when they host Wheaton for a doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m.