The #14 Aquinas softball team kicked off its busy week with a WHAC doubleheader against Lourdes on Tuesday (Apr. 27) at the Gainey Athletic Complex. In frigid temperatures with occasional snow flakes falling, the two games were split with game one going to the Gray Wolves 10-5 and the second going to the Saints 11-3 in five innings. AQ now has a record of 31-9 (11-5 WHAC) and LU is 14-21 (8-12 WHAC) in 2022.
GAME 1: Lourdes 10, Aquinas 5
The first game was back-and-forth all the way until the end with the Saints chasing the Gray Wolves for most of the game. Lourdes scored two unearned runs in the top half of the first inning with the help of an AQ error.
In the third inning, Aquinas did all of its damage with two outs as an
Izzy Dawson walk, a
Kaelyn Stafford single, and another walk by
Jordan Humitz loaded the bases. The Saints continued to work the count and be patient as
Carson Hendrickson and
Ashley Snyder both picked up bases loaded RBI walks to tie the game at two.
That began the battle as both teams scored a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings. After LU took a 3-2 lead, Stafford capitalized on another bases loaded opportunity with an RBI single through the left side to tie the game back up.
Another unearned run crossed the plate for Lourdes in the fifth, but again the Saints had a response.
Ashley Snyder put a charge into her second home run of the season that went over the left field fence for a solo shot. AQ took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning as a double steal worked to perfection. Stafford held the Gray Wolves defense's attention just long enough until
Darrien Roberts scored for the 6-5 lead.
Leah Ash, who started game one in the circle for the Saints, got one out in the seventh, but left the game with the bases loaded.
Nina Bennett came in from the bullpen and Lourdes was able to tie the game up with an RBI single. LU then took the lead on a go-ahead grand slam for the last four runs of the ball game.
Ash (13-4) took the loss after pitching six and a third innings and allowing seven runs (three earned) on six hits and three defensive errors to go with three strikeouts. Bennett was unable to get an out, giving up two runs on two hits.
Grace Maguire came in to get the last two outs of the inning after surrendering a run on three hits.
Roberts (two hits and a walk), Dawson (a hit and two walks), and Snyder (a hit and two walks) all got on base three times in the game as Stafford also collected two hits.
GAME 2: Aquinas 11, Lourdes 3
The Saints got their revenge in game two by earning a five-inning win. The Gray Wolves scored the first three runs of the game in the first inning, but then AQ scored 11 consecutive runs to earn the win.
The first run came in the bottom half of the first on an RBI single by Stafford that scored Roberts. Aquinas tied the game up in the second as the bases got loaded on a single by Hendrickson and walks by
Kim Sosnowski and
Emily Cline. Then,
Courtney Hardin singled in the first run and Dawson forced a bases loaded walk for the game-tying run.
Three more runs were scored in the third inning with Hendrickson reaching on a fielder's choice as
Kayla Sanford beat the throw home for the eventual game-winning run. Cline then came through with a single that scored both Hendrickson and Sosnowski.
Aquinas finished the game in the fifth inning with five runs to run-rule the Gray Wolves. A Sosnowski triple, Cline walk, and Hardin walk loaded the bases with one out. An infield single by Roberts, walk by Dawson, infield single by Stafford, walk by Humitz, and single to left by
Haley Myers scored the five runs for the win.
After giving up three runs in the first,
Kayla Fessenden (12-4) settled down to earn the win by allowing eight hits and three walks, while striking out two.
Roberts, Sosnowski, and Cline all got on base three times in five innings as Dawson, Stafford, and Cline drove in two runs a piece.
AQ will be back in action tomorrow (Apr. 28) in another home WHAC doubleheader against Cleary at Jenison High School, beginning at 3:00 PM.
