Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Saints returned to the field today (Apr. 8) for doubleheader action against the Cleary Cougars. Cleary was considered the home team over the two games, but the game was hosted at Davenport University's Farmer's Insurance Athletic Complex.

Aquinas had the bats going early and often throughout both games. AQ won the first game 9-2 and the second game 13-6 as Cleary couldn't keep up with the red-hot Saints.
AQ has now won 15 of its last 17 games and improves to 25-9 on the season with a perfect 8-0 conference record. Cleary falls to 8-25 with a 2-10 WHAC record.
 
Game 1: Aquinas 9, Cleary 2
The scoring began early for the Saints as they kicked off the game. Darrien Roberts walked and stole second to give AQ a runner in scoring position with just one out. Izzy Dawson then singled through the right side of the infield to put runners on the corners with one out.

Dawson stole second and Alexa Kownacki singled through the left side of the infield to score Roberts. Kownacki was thrown out attempting to steal second base, but Dawson was able to score on the throw to give AQ a 2-0 advantage early.

Leah Ash started in the circle for Aquinas and a quick one-two-three inning brought the Saints back up to bat. Kaelyn Stafford singled to center field and Ashley Snyder hit a ball over the left-field wall to double AQ's lead. That home run was Snyder's first of the year.

Cleary managed to pull a run back in the bottom of the second inning after a walk and a double. AQ kept the bats going in the third inning as Roberts started the frame with a leadoff single to left. McKenna Hinkle pinch ran for Roberts and immediately stole second base on the next pitch. Dawson proceeded to step up to the plate and hit a home run over the left field wall to put Aquinas ahead 6-1.

Kim Sosnowski followed the home run with a single, but Cleary was able to pick up a couple of outs to move the game to the bottom of the third.

The game quieted down until Dawson stepped into the box again in the top of the fifth inning. Hinkle walked and stole second and Dawson hit another home run into left field to give her two for the game. The two-run bomb now put AQ ahead 8-1.

Cleary picked up another run in the bottom half of the fifth to reduce the deficit to six runs. That would be the only run that relief pitcher, Grace Maguire, would give up throughout the rest of the game.
Dawson stepped up to the plate one more time in the top of the seventh inning where she proceeded to hit her third home run of the game. That third home run gave her 27 career home runs, passing current assistant coach Jacki Plough for the second-most home runs in AQ softball program history. She now trails Ashley Aspinall's mark of 29 career home runs by just two.

The home run also gave her 53 total bases this season. That mark now gives Dawson the most total bases in AQ softball program history with 406 career total bases. She passed Aspinall's record of 404 career total bases.

Maguire ended the game with two strikeouts and a groundout to give AQ a 9-2 victory.

Ash improves her record this season to 11-2 after giving up just one run on two hits, one walk, and two strikeouts. Maguire also allowed just one run on one hit, one walk, and two strikeouts.

Dawson finishes out an incredible game by batting 4-4 at the plate with three home runs, driving in five runs. She also picked up a stolen base in the first inning.

Snyder finished the game batting 1-2 at the plate with her one hit being the two-run home run in the second inning.

In total, eight different Saints picked up a hit en route to AQ's 9-2 victory.
 
Game 2: Aquinas 13, Cleary 6

AQ kept the bats going into the second game as Haley Myers hit a leadoff single to the shortstop. Roberts then stepped up to the plate and hit a home run over the left-center wall to give the Saints a two-run advantage early.

The hitting continued as Dawson ripped a double into the right-center gap and Leah Vaughan reached base after being hit by a pitch. Jaden Benschoter reached base due to an error by the third baseman to load the bases with one out. Carson Hendrickson walked a runner in to give herself an RBI and give AQ its third run of the inning.

Jaden Delchambre struck out swinging to give the Saints two outs in the top of the first. Another Cleary error allowed Jessica Dobias to advance the runners with Vaughan scoring. The Saints made it back to the top of the order and, with the bases loaded, Myers homered to left center for a grand slam. The four-run shot gave AQ eight runs in the first inning.

A pair of walks, a pair of doubles, and an Aquinas error allowed the Cougars to respond with three runs of their own. The two teams combined for 11 runs throughout the first inning, but AQ held an 8-3 advantage heading into the second inning.

The game settled down in the second frame, but AQ got back to its scoring ways in the top of the third inning. Benschoter started the inning with a single into center field. On the subsequent at-bat, Delchambre was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs.

Dobias struck out swinging, but Myers remained hot at the plate with a two-RBI double to center field to give the Saints ten runs.

Aquinas was held quiet in the fourth inning, but a little offensive action from CU allowed the Cougars to narrow the AQ lead to 10-5 heading into the fifth inning.

Neither side managed any offense in the fifth as good pitching and defense allowed for consecutive one-two-three half-innings.

Myers continued her hitting streak in the top of the sixth inning with a single down the left field line and then stole second for her first stolen base of the game. Dawson and Vaughan then both walked to load the bases with just one out.

On the ensuing at-bat, Taylor Charon reached base on a fielder's choice play that resulted in an out at second base. However, the play allowed Myers to score AQ's 11th run of the game.

More quality relief pitching from Nina Bennet held the Cougars off the scoreboard in the sixth inning with AQ maintaining an 11-5 lead heading into the seventh inning.

Kownacki, Sosnowski, and Courtney Hardin combined for three consecutive hits in the top of the seventh to score a run and put runners on second and third with just one out. A sacrifice fly from Myers gave AQ a 13-5 lead with Myers being credited with her seventh RBI of the game.

Cleary scored a consolation run in the bottom half of the inning, but AQ came out with a 13-6 victory.

Kayla Fessenden earned her eighth win of the season after allowing six hits and five runs over four innings pitched. She tallied four walks and three strikeouts from the circle. Bennett pitched the final three innings and allowed just one run off of one hit with a strikeout.

Myers finished the game batting 4-4 at the plate with 7 RBI, a double, a home run, three runs scored, and a stolen base.

Roberts ended the game with the one home run, batting 1-3 with two RBI and a run scored.

Just like the first game, AQ had eight different players credited with a hit.

AQ's busy spring season continues on Monday (Apr. 10) with a road doubleheader against the Lourdes Gray Wolves. The games are scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.