The #18 Aquinas softball team remained hot today (Apr. 5), sweeping crosstown-rival Cornerstone University. Both games were close, but the Saints would end up with the upper hand in both games. AQ won the first game by a score of 6-5 after Grace Maguire got out of a based-loaded jam in the top of seventh inning. In game two, Leah Ash pitched another completed game as the Saints topped the Golden Eagles by a score of 5-2. Aquinas remains undefeated in conference play with a 4-0 record. In addition, the Saints now improve to an incredible 24-4 on the year.

Game 1: Aquinas 6, Cornerstone 5

Courtney Hardin started the first game with a rip through the left side of the infield to get on base. She would immediately advance to second base after a wild pitch. Izzy Dawson would ground out to the shortstop, but Hardin would advance to third base on the play. The next batter, Jordan Humitz, would walk to put runners on first and third. On the following play, the Saints would score. Humitz would get caught in a pickle trying to steal. However, Hardin would cross home plate prior to Humitz getting tagged, giving AQ a 1-0 lead.

Kayla Fessenden would throw another hitless inning in the second and the Saints would pick up another run in the bottom of the frame. Kaelyn Stafford would single, followed by a double from Darrien Roberts to put runners on second and third with no outs. Carson Hendrickson would get an RBI after grounding out after Stafford would cross home plate on the play.

The Saints would hold Cornerstone scoreless in the top of the third inning and would add another run in the bottom of the third. Humitz would single to right field, scoring Emma Houseman. Fessenden would continue to deal in the fourth inning as she was throwing a no hitter through four innings. However, Cornerstone would break up the no hitter in the fifth inning.

With two outs in the fifth inning, Fessenden would give up a walk and then four consecutive hits as the Golden Eagles would take their first lead of the game. Leah Vaughan would come in as the relief pitcher and get the Saints out of the inning. Aquinas would respond in a big way in the home half of the fifth frame. With the bases loaded, Breanne Adamczak would hit a single to right field to score two runners. The next batter, Hendrickson, would hit another single and score another run to give AQ a 6-4 advantage.

CU would pick up another run in the top of the sixth with AQ making another pitching change to get out of the inning. Nina Bennett would allow one run due to a sacrifice bunt but would do an excellent job of getting the Saints out of the inning. Aquinas would be held to no runs in the home half of the inning, but Cornerstone would need to get another run in the top of the seventh to continue the game.

They would not get the run required to extend the game. Maguire would get out of a bases-loaded jam to get her second save of the season and the Saints their first win of the day.

Game 2: Aquinas 5, Cornerstone 2

Ash would head into the circle for the second game and pitch a stellar game for the Saints. She would throw three perfect innings to start the game and give AQ the chance to get an early 2-0 lead. After a couple of walks and wild pitches, Hardin and Dawson would cross the plate to get that early advantage.

Both sides would be held to no runs until the Golden Eagles would get their first hit of the game in the top of the fourth inning. The leadoff hitter for CU would hit a home run over the fence in right center to narrow the Aquinas lead to just one run. However, Ash would focus back in and retire the next three batters to get out of the inning relatively unscathed.

As Aquinas does best, the Saints responded in the bottom half of the inning to reinstate their two run lead. Halee Holman would hit a deep double over the left fielder to score Stafford. That would be the last run that either side would score for a bit as both teams would be held scoreless in the fifth inning.

CU would get a run back after an unfortunate error with two outs. That two-out error would generate a run for Cornerstone after the next batter would single the runner home. However, the Saints would, again, respond with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Roberts would double down the left field line to score Ashley Snyder from second base. Holman would then single in the next at-bat to score Roberts from second.

Those two runs would be the last runs scored of the game as Ash would retire the side and pick up her ninth win of the season. Ash is now 9-2 on the year after the complete-game victory.

AQ has a busy weekend ahead of them with two doubleheaders. The Saints will be taking on Madonna on Saturday (Apr. 9) and UM-Dearborn on Sunday (Apr. 10).