The #16 Aquinas softball team had UM-Dearborn travel down to Grand Rapids, Michigan for a WHAC doubleheader on Sunday (Apr. 10) at the CU Softball Field. After suffering their first conference loss of the season in game one by a score of 4-2, the Saints came back to gain their second shutout of the season in the 6-0 second game victory. AQ is now 25-5 (5-1 WHAC) on the season, while UMD stands at 17-7 (8-2 WHAC) so far this year.
GAME 1: UM-Dearborn 4, Aquinas 2
The first run of the game was scored by the Wolverines in the second inning after an overthrow on a stolen base attempt at second allowed the runner from third to trot home. The Saints responded quickly to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Kaelyn Stafford and
Carson Hendrickson both singled in the inning and ended up on second and third base with two outs.
Halee Holman came through with a clutch two-out single to bring both runners home for the lead.
The Aquinas advantage would hold up until the fifth inning when UMD was able to regain the lead on a two-run homerun with an error on the AQ defense coming before it. UM-Dearborn scored an insurance run in the next inning on a squeeze bunt to take a 4-2 lead and eventually win by two runs.
Kayla Fessenden (9-2) took the loss in the circle after pitching six and one third innings, allowing four runs (one earned) on seven hits, two walks, and three team errors. She was able to strikeout seven batters.
Nina Bennett came in from the bullpen to record the final two outs.
Stafford was 3-3 at the plate for the Saints as
Izzy Dawson also had a multi-hit game and Holman drove in the two runs.
GAME 2: Aquinas 6, UM-Dearborn 0
The second game was all AQ as four runs were scored in the first inning to jump on the Wolverines quickly.
Courtney Hardin,
Leah Vaughan, and Dawson collected two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs. UMD was able to gain two straight strikeouts, but then a Hendrickson walk pushed across the first run.
Ashley Snyder came up with the big hit of the ball game as she tripled down the right field line that cleared the bases and gave Aquinas the 4-0 advantage.
The other two runs were scored in the fifth inning for the Saints to make the eventual final score 6-0. After Vaughan and Dawson singled to begin the inning,
Breanne Adamczak laid down a sacrifice bunt to move up the runners and Stafford drove them in on a double to left field.
Leah Ash (10-2) gained the complete game shutout after allowing eight hits and a walk in seven innings, while striking out four.
Hardin and Vaughan finished game two with two hits a piece as Snyder drove in three runs and Stafford brought around a pair.
Aquinas will continue WHAC play with a mid-week road doubleheader against Lawrence Tech in Detroit, Michigan at the WSU Softball Stadium on Wednesday (Apr. 13), beginning at 3:00 PM.
