Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Saints returned to the Davenport University Farmer's Insurance Athletic Complex for doubleheader action against the visiting Cardinals of Concordia. Aquinas entered today's (Apr. 12) games with a 9-1 conference record, trailing only the undefeated (10-0) Indiana Tech Warriors in the standings.
 
Aquinas won the first game 5-2 but dropped the second 10-8 after CUAA scored eight runs over the first three innings.
 
AQ's record moves to 27-11 with a 10-2 conference record. CUAA is now 27-13 this season with a 7-5 WHAC record.
 
Game 1: Aquinas 5, Concordia 3
 
Concordia got on the board first after some good small ball from the visitors. The Cardinals led off the first inning with a single and then a sacrifice bunt and a groundout advanced the runner to third base with two outs. A bloop hit into left-center found a gap in the defense and scored the CUAA runner for a 1-0 advantage.
 
Roberts helped the Saints respond in the bottom of the first with a one-out single right up the middle of the infield. She proceeded to steal second to put a runner in scoring position with just one out. Izzy Dawson stepped up to the plate and hit a single to left field and put runners on the corners.
 
Dawson was caught stealing two pitches later, but Roberts was able to score during the rundown to tie the game 1-1.
 
CUAA had some two-out action in the top of the second inning but failed to bring a run across the plate. Carson Hendrickson doubled to right center with one out in the bottom of the second frame. Two batters later, Kaelyn Stafford hit a rocket into center field for her first home run of the season. AQ was now ahead 3-1 after two innings of play.
 
The game settled down a bit with neither team picking up any runs over the third and fourth innings. The scoring drought ended after Concordia led off the fifth inning after an error allowed Shannon McAlinden to reach second base. A single from Dee Campbell on the next at-bat put runners on the corners with no outs.
 
CUAA used the same strategy that Aquinas used in the first period to bring a run across the plate. The Cardinals were caught stealing second base, but McAlinden ran home to reduce the AQ lead to just one run.
 
AQ immediately responded in the bottom of the fifth starting with a leadoff hit from Stafford. Two batters later, Courtney Hardin crushed a ball over the left field fence to give her a team-leading seven home runs this year. Her dinger also gave AQ a 5-2 lead heading into the sixth inning.
 
Leah Ash pitched her best inning of the game so far in the top of the sixth inning as she retired the side to keep CUAA off the scoreboard. Jessica Dobias picked up a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth, but Concordia kept Aquinas mostly quiet in the inning to keep the score at 5-2.
 
Concordia had some offensive action in the top of the seventh in an attempt to save the game. CUAA hit a leadoff single and a two-out double from Campbell scored her to bring in a run. However, Ash went the distance and struck out the last batter to end the game 5-3 in favor of the Saints.
 
Ash earned her twelfth win of the season (12-3), allowing 11 hits, two earned runs, one walk, and three strikeouts.
 
Hardin and Stafford accounted for four of AQ's five runs thanks to their two-run homers. Hardin finished the game batting 1-3 at the plate while Stafford went 2-3 at the plate with that home run and a single.
 
Hendrickson was responsible for the other run with her double in the second inning.
 
Game 2:  Concordia 10, Aquinas 8
 
Kayla Fessenden received the start in the second game, but the Cardinals got to her early. Fessenden picked up two early outs, but an error from AQ started a two-out rally. Four consecutive singles and a double gave CUAA four runs in the top of the first and forced the Saints to reach into the bullpen early.
 
AQ brought Nina Bennett into the game who forced a bases-loaded groundout to mitigate the damage and bring Aquinas to the plate. The Saints put a couple of runners on after Roberts was hit by a pitch and Hendrickson hit a single up the middle of the infield. However, two consecutive strikeouts ended the inning with the score still 4-0.
 
Concordia kept the bats going into the second and third innings as two doubles brought another run across the plate for a 5-0 advantage in the second. A single followed by a home run in the top of the third frame put two more runs on the scoreboard. Then, with two outs, a fielding error, a stolen base, and another single gave CUAA an early 8-0 advantage.
 
Aquinas called for the bullpen once more and brought Grace Maguire into the circle to end the top of the third inning.
 
The Saints got on the scoreboard for the first time in the bottom of the inning after a leadoff walk from Emma Houseman. Two consecutive groundouts brought Houseman around to third base and Hendrickson hit her home with an RBI single.
 
Maguire continued pitching in the fourth inning and help the Cardinals scoreless in an inning for the first time this game.
 
Dobias ripped a one-out double down the left field line to get the offense started for AQ in the bottom of the fourth. A single from Leah Vaughan then put runners on the corners with two outs. A fielding error from the left fielder on the ensuing at-bat allowed Houseman to reach base and bring Dobias across the plate. AQ now trailed 8-2 and was slowly chipping away at the CUAA lead.
 
CUAA got back in the scoring column in the top of the fifth after an RBI single scored a runner from second base with two outs. Aquinas immediately responded to that run with a leadoff home run to right center field from Roberts. That home run would be Robert's fourth homer of the 2023 campaign.
 
An error from the Cardinals, followed by a hit by pitch and a walk, allowed AQ to load the bases with two outs. Jaden Delchmbre took advantage with a two-RBI single to right field. AQ now trailed by just four runs heading into the sixth inning.
 
Maguire kept the Cardinals quiet in the top of the sixth inning to keep the score at 9-5.
 
Hardin was hit by a pitch on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth inning to put her on first. Two wild pitches brought Hardin from first to third with Roberts still batting. Roberts proceeded to hit a single to center field to bring Hardin home and give AQ six runs.
 
Roberts advanced to second after a groundout to the shortstop and was then brought to third after an error from the center fielder put Myers on first base with one out. On the next at-bat, Sydney VanDerHaegen walked to load the bases.
 
On the subsequent at-bat, Dobias popped out as the bases were now loaded with two outs. Stafford stepped into the box and was walked to drive in a run. On the ensuing at-bat, Vaughan hit a ground ball right into the pitcher and was able to reach first and drive in another run. AQ now trailed just 9-8 heading into the final inning of play.
 
Concordia started a rally in the top of the seventh inning as a single and an error allowed CUAA to tack on another run. Hardin and Myers walked in the bottom of the seventh inning to bring Taylor Charon to the plate with two outs. Unfortunately, Charon struck out to end the game 10-8 in favor of the Cardinals.
 
Fessenden's record moves to 9-6 after allowing five hits and a strikeout in the first inning.
 
Roberts finished the game with a 2-4 performance at the plate with a home run and a single to score two RBI and two runs.
 
Vaughan went 2-3 with an RBI and Hendrickson went 2-5 with an RBI herself.
 
AQ's homestand continues this weekend with a doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 15) against UNOH. The first game is scheduled for 1:00 PM at the Gainey Athletic Complex.