The Aquinas softball team traveled to Sylvania, Ohio for a big WHAC doubleheader against the Gray Wolves of Lourdes on Saturday (Apr. 10). The Saints took two against the Gray Wolves after topping Lourdes in game one by a big 10-2 score and in game two, 6-5. The two wins improve Aquinas to 15-5 overall record, 7-1 WHAC.
The Saints started the game as Courtney Hardin singled through the left side, scoring one, with two outs. Darrien Roberts also singled, batting in one. The AQ offense kept hammering with two outs as Leigha Morse came up to the plate doubling with bases loaded. Morse earned three RBIs and AQ increased the lead to 5-0.
Sydney Dawson reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Morse to make it a 6-0 Saints advantage. To close the busy first inning, Brooke Wila notched her 100th career stolen base, building upon her own record set, and there's not a better place to do it than in her favorite place, Sylvania.
Aquinas kept the energy high going into the second inning as AQ tallied four more runs. Three doubles were hit in the second inning by Roberts, Morse, and S. Dawson. The Saints went into the third with a large 10-0 lead.
The Gray Wolves were only able to score two to earn the Saints the big five-inning 10-2 win. Kayla Fessenden earned the win on the mound for AQ pitching the first four innings. Roberts led the Saints hitting 2-2 with two runs and two RBIs. Morse hit 2-3 with four RBIs, two doubles, and a run. Hardin also hit 2-3 and totaled two runs and an RBI.
In the second game, with Wila on second, a single by Kallie Sears scored her to get the quick jump. An Izzy Dawson single scored Sears from second to make it 2-0 AQ after the first. Each team tallied a score in the fourth to still keep the difference at two runs. Aquinas outscored the Gray Wolves 2-1 in the next two innings to increase the lead to three as AQ held a 5-2 advantage.
AQ's pinch hitter Jordan Humitz doubled to right center field to score I. Dawson, improving the lead to four heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Gray Wolves gave Aquinas a scare tallying three runs of their own, but AQ held off Lourdes and earned the win by a 6-5 score. The two losses move the Gray Wolves to a 4-23 overall record and 1-7 in conference play.
The starter, Leah Ash, earned the win on the mound for AQ, pitching five innings, posting three strikeouts, and allowing just one run. Offensively, the Saints were led by Humitz who hit 3-4 with three doubles and an RBI. Wila finished hitting 1-3 with two runs and two more stolen bases.
Haley Aldred finished batting 2-4 with a double. Natalie VanDerHaegen hit 1-3 with a double an RBI. I. Dawson also hit 1-3 with a run and an RBI.
The Saints return to play Wednesday (Apr. 14) as AQ hosts Lawrence Tech in another big WHAC doubleheader. First pitch is set for 3:00 PM at Cornerstone.
