Sylvania, Ohio – AQ softball's busy April continued today (Apr. 10) with a road doubleheader against the Lourdes Gray Wolves. AQ entered the doubleheader on a six-game winning streak and with an 8-0 WHAC record. Lourdes played spoiler after winning the first game 3-0 and breaking Aquinas' unbeaten conference run. However, the Saints bounced back in the second game with a 9-0 victory.

Aquinas is now 26-10 in the 2023 campaign with a 9-1 conference record. Lourdes is now 6-20 this season with a 1-9 WHAC record.

Game 1: Lourdes 3, Aquinas 0

The game started quietly with Lourdes putting a runner in scoring position in the first two innings but failed to capitalize on the opportunity. AQ got some offense going in the top of the third inning as Courtney Hardin hit a one-out double down the left-field line. Darrien Roberts followed that with a single to the shortstop to put runners on first and second with just one out.

On the ensuing at-bat, Izzy Dawson reached base due to an error from the third baseman. Hardin rounded third and headed home but was thrown out at home from left field. AQ tried to get an early lead as Roberts headed home on a passed ball, but the catcher retrieved the ball and got back to home plate to tag Roberts out in time to end the top half of the inning.

Neither side managed very much offense until the bottom of the fifth inning as good defense and pitching from both teams kept the game scoreless.

Lourdes managed to string together a couple of singles and some good small ball to put the first run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Gray Wolves kept the pressure on in the bottom of the sixth inning and added two more runs to the scoreboard.

Taylor Charon managed a single in the top of the seventh inning, but AQ was ultimately held scoreless in the first game. AQ fell to Lourdes by a score of 3-0.

Leah Ash received the start inside the circle and allowed just one earned run over the seven innings pitched. She gave up seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts to move to 11-3 on the season.
 
Game 2: Aquinas 9, Lourdes 0

AQ immediately got some offense going to start the second game as Roberts singled through the right side of the infield and then stole second base. An error on the next at-bat from the LU third baseman allowed Dawson to reach first base and Roberts to score from second base.

Dawson managed to steal second base with two outs and then advanced to third after a dropped third strike. Kim Sosnowski reached first base on the dropped third strike. Jaden Benschoter stepped up to the plate and then Sosnowski stole second base. Dawson dashed towards home on the throw down to second base and scored as a result to give Aquinas a 2-0 advantage.

Kayla Fessenden started the second game in the circle for the Saints and finished the first two innings with consecutive one-two-three innings. AQ kept the offense going in the top of the third inning as Hardin kicked off the inning with a home run over the left-field wall.

The Gray Wolves made a pitching change following the home run, but that didn't stop Roberts from greeting the new pitcher with a home run of her own. The back-to-back bombs doubled AQ's lead to 4-0.

Aquinas continued scoring in the fourth inning as Emma Houseman hit a leadoff single to start the inning. She then stole second base to give AQ a runner in scoring position with no outs. Hardin remained hot and ripped a double into the left field gap to score Houseman. Hardin followed that double with good base-running as she stole third base. That stolen base allowed her to score due to a sacrifice fly from Roberts on the next at-bat.

Fessenden kept the Gray Wolves off the scoreboard and the Saints increased their lead to nine with three more runs in the top of the sixth inning. A double steal between Dawson and Hardin allowed Dawson to take second base and Hardin to steal on the throw. Leah Vaughan followed that play with a double to left center to score Dawson from second.

AQ's last run came from a McKenna Hinkle single that scored Vaughan from third base. Another shutout inning from Fessenden gave the Saints a mercy victory after six innings. The victory gave Fessenden win number nine on the year after allowing just three hits on six strikeouts.

Hardin and Roberts finished the game with identical stat lines as both players went 2-3 at the plate with two RBI, three runs scored, and two stolen bases.

Jessica Dobias also put up a good showing with a 2-4 performance that included a double.

Aquinas is back in action this Wednesday (Apr. 12) with a doubleheader against the Concordia Cardinals. The doubleheader is set to begin at 3:00 PM at the Farmer's Insurance Athletic Complex.