Alma, Mich. – The Aquinas women's softball team returned to the field today (Mar. 30) for doubleheader action against Alma College. AQ entered the game on a nine-game win streak and was looking to carry that positive momentum into this game. However, in two evenly-matched affairs, Alma ended both games as the winner by just one run.
Alma won the first game 7-6 in eight innings and the second game 6-5 in the standard seven innings. AQ moves to 19-9 on the season with a 2-0 conference record. Alma improves to 11-8 after the two wins today.
Game 1: Alma 7, Aquinas 6 (8 Innings)
Despite a single from
Darrien Roberts and a subsequent stolen base, good defense from the Scots kept AQ off the scoreboard in the first inning.
Kayla Fessenden started in the circle and Alma picked up two quick runs off of four hits before she settled in to get the last two outs.
The action continued into the second inning, but neither team managed to pick up any runs.
Jaden Delchambre reached base to start the third inning on an error. Roberts put two runners on with her second consecutive single in the game. Once again, Roberts stole second to bring
Haley Myers to the plate with runners on second and third.
Myers proceeded to hit a base knock that brought both runners home to tie the game. On that same play, an error from the center field allowed Myers to fly around the bases and score, giving AQ a 3-2 advantage.
Following the three-run outburst from AQ, the game remained fairly quiet until the bottom of the fifth inning. Two singles and a stolen base from the Scots gave the home team runners on second and third with just one out. A single on the next at-bat scored one run and brought the runner from second to third. A sacrifice fly to center field on the ensuing at-bat brought another run across the plate to give Alma the lead back.
Ashley Snyder singled to left to kick off the top of the sixth inning. She stole second base and then advanced to third off of a wild pitch. With Snyder on third,
Kim Sosnowski sent the ball over the left-field wall for a two-run homer. The two-run bomb gave AQ the lead back with the score now 5-4.
Alma responded quickly in the bottom of the sixth inning. A pair of singles and an error tied the game at five and prompted Aquinas to call for a pitching change.
Leah Vaughan came into the circle to get the Saints out of the no-out jam.
After walking another batter to load the bases, Vaughan forced a lineout, a popout, and a flyout to prevent Alma from scoring any more runs.
With the game tied heading into the seventh inning, Myers started off the top of the frame with a single and a stolen base.
Taylor Charon sacrifice bunted Myers over to third and
Carson Hendrickson singled to left field to give AQ a late 6-5 advantage. However, in a similar series of events, Alma scored in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the fans in attendance bonus softball.
Great pitching from the Scots kept AQ off the scoreboard in the top of the eighth inning despite starting the inning with a runner on second. Alma managed to get the one base hit it needed in the bottom half of the inning to score the winning run with the score at 7-6.
Roberts ended the game with three hits on four attempts, one run, and two stolen bases. Myers went 2-4 with two RBI and two runs. Fessenden pitched for five innings, striking out four batters while allowing ten hits and four earned runs.
Game 2: Alma 6, Aquinas 5
Alma was the ones to jump ahead once again in the second game of the doubleheader. The Scots got out to a 2-0 lead after a walk, a couple of stolen bases, and a couple of hits.
Courtney Hardin got the offense rolling for AQ in the top half of the third with a solo home run down the left-field line. That home run now gives her a team-leading five homers on the season so far.
Roberts continued to get on base with yet another single and then stole second for the third time today. Myers singled into the left side of the infield and advanced Roberts to third base. Myers also stole second to bring Hendrickson to the plate with runners on second and third.
Hendrickson hit a single to score Roberts and tie the game at 2-2. AQ appeared to be in a position to take the lead, but the Scots tightened up defensively and forced three outs to get out of a zero-out jam.
In the bottom half of the third, a single and consecutive doubles from the home team managed to put Alma back in the lead with a two-run advantage.
Both teams settled down with neither team scoring until the Scots tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Another scoreless inning in the sixth frame brought AQ to the plate trailing by three runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Hardin and Roberts started the top of the inning with consecutive singles to put runners on first and second base. Myers lined out to third base to give AQ its first out of the inning and a fielder's choice at third base gave Aquinas its second out of the inning.
Vaughan stepped into the box and delivered a base knock into right field to bring Roberts home from second base. With the Scots only needing one out to win, Sosnowski stepped up to the plate and provided another clutch hit. She smacked a double into right-center to score two more runs and tie the game at five runs.
Despite the great comeback attempt from AQ, an unfortunate error allowed Alma to pick up a quick run in the bottom of the seventh inning and win the game 6-5.
Grace Maguire started all seven innings for the Saints while striking out seven batters and allowing ten hits, two walks, and five earned runs.
Hardin finished the game a perfect 3-3 with one RBI, one home run, one double, and a walk.
Roberts finished a second great game, this time batting 3-4 with another two runs scored and two stolen bases.
Up next for the Saints is another pair of road doubleheaders this weekend. AQ is set to take on Lourdes on Saturday (Apr. 1) and Siena Heights on Sunday (Apr. 2).
