The Aquinas softball team continued play today (May 6) in Sylvania, Ohio at Pacesetter park for the 2021 WHAC Tournament. After winning both games yesterday by walk-off hits, the Saints faced second seed Madonna today in the winner's bracket game. AQ's three-run sixth inning surged the Saints past the Crusaders to claim the big 8-5 win.
AQ got off to the quick 2-0 lead in the first as Izzy Dawson singled to center field for a run and Leigha Morse added a sacrifice fly. Another two runs from the Saints came in the third inning. Lead off batter Jordan Humitz homered to right center to put Aquinas up 3-0 on the Crusaders. A single from Taylor Borkowski scored Courtney Hardin from second base and grabbed Aquinas the big 4-0 advantage.
The Crusaders tallied one run in the top of the fourth before scoring three in the top of the fifth to tie the ballgame at 4-4. AQ responded in the bottom of the fifth, as pinch hitter Haley Aldred hit a single through the right side to score pinch runner Haley Myers and make it 5-4, Aquinas.
AQ started the bottom of the sixth as two batters were walked and a passed ball put the runners on second and third. Another walk loaded the bases for Aquinas with no outs. A sacrifice fly from Hardin tallied one run for the Saints. A single through the right side from Morse notched an RBI to improve the Saints' lead to three. Another Borkowski single scored another run for an 8-4 Aquinas lead.
Aquinas posted two quick outs to start the top of the seventh. A walk and an error put runners on first and second for the Crusaders. A single up the middle and a bobble in center field scored one run to keep MU alive. Leah Vaughan came in to relieve Kayla Fessenden and close the game. Vaughan got the count to 3-2 before the Madonna batter struck out looking to earn AQ the huge 8-5 victory.
Starter Leah Ash pitched 3.1 innings, allowing just one run. Reliever Fessenden (11-1) earned the win and posted three strikeouts. Vaughan finished with just one batter faced and the big game-ending strikeout.
Offensively, AQ was led by Morse who went 2-3 and posted two RBIs. Borkowski hit 2-4 and also tallied two RBIs for the Saints. I. Dawson batted 2-3 with a run, while Brooke Wila finished batting 2-4 and scored a run. Aldred, Humitz, and Hardin all posted an RBI.
The loss puts Madonna in the losers bracket where they will face Concordia (loser will be eliminated) tomorrow, May 7th, at 11:00 AM.
The win advances AQ to the tournament finals tomorrow (May 7) where they will face the winner of the Concordia/Madonna game. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Aquinas needs to win just once to claim the WHAC Tournament Championship, while the Madonna-Concordia winner will need to defeat AQ twice to earn the tournament title.
