Melbourne, Fla. – For the first time this season, the Saints dropped consecutive games today. Aquinas fell to (RV) Missouri Baptist and Mount Mercy to start the day. However, AQ treated its fans to an 11-inning thriller to end the day against IU-South Bend. The two teams traded runs in the ninth, but it was finally AQ that broke through after four extra innings.
Today's results move Aquinas to 14-4 on the season.
Game 1: (RV) Missouri Baptist 5, Aquinas 1
The Spartans jumped out to a four-run lead in the top of the first inning as they got the sticks going early. MBU picked up five of its eight hits in the first inning as the game quieted down following the offensive outburst.
Aquinas put two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the third, but Missouri Baptist got out of the situation with a strikeout to avoid any damage. However, AQ scored a run in the ensuing inning to get on the board.
Katie Carlson hit a leadoff single and then
Leah Vaughan reached base on an error to put two runners on with no outs.
Jessica Dobias singled on the next at-bat to load the bases with no outs. A passed ball pitch moved everyone up a base to score Carlson and keep the pressure on. However, an unfortunate series of a groundout, an infield popout, and a strikeout kept AQ to just the one run.
Missouri Baptist scored one insurance run in the top of the seventh and went on to win 5-1.
Outside of the first inning,
Sophia Pavese pitched well over five innings with four strikeouts.
Leah Vaughan relieved her in the sixth and allowed just one hit over two innings.
Game 2: Mount Mercy 5, Aquinas 0
The Saints took two games from the Mustangs this season but couldn't quite complete the three-game sweep. Mount Mercy held AQ to just one hit throughout the game, keeping the Saints off the scoreboard.
MMU scored two in the first inning and never looked back. Mount Mercy added another run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth as the game ended 5-0.
Game 3: Aquinas 6, IU-South Bend 5 (11 Innings)
AQ finally got the bats going to start the third game of the day. A two-out rally started with
Courtney Hardin stealing second base. Carlson singled and stole second herself to put two runners in scoring position.
Haley Myers hit an RBI single to center and
Alexa Kownacki hit a two-RBI single to put Aquinas ahead by three.
The Saints picked up a couple more hits over the next couple of innings, but it was IU-South Bend that struck next. In the bottom of the fourth frame, two singles and a walk allowed the Titans to load up the bases. A sacrifice fly to center and a two-RBI single quickly tied up the game.
Aquinas responded in the fifth after
Emma Houseman reached base on an error and
Mallory Buikema doubled to bring her across the plate.
The game looked to be heading towards a 4-3 victory for the Saints, but a costly defensive error that would have ended the game allowed the Titans to instead tie the game and go to extra innings.
Despite the extra innings rule, it wasn't until the ninth inning that both teams managed to score. Aquinas scored on a couple of sacrifice plays and then IU-South Bend managed to do the same to keep the game going.
The Titans nearly won the game in the tenth inning after hitting a single to center field, but a great throw from
Kaelyn Stafford gunned out the runner to keep the Saints alive. Aquinas took advantage, scoring another small-ball run in the 11th and holding on defensively for a thrilling win.
By the Numbers
Grace Maguire improved to 5-1 this year after pitching seven innings against IUSB.
Carlson led the team with three hits over three games while Dobias, Stafford, and
McKenna Hinkle all had two. Kownacki led the team with three RBIs. Dobias, Buikema, and Myers all knocked in one run.
Up Next
The Saints conclude their Florida trip tomorrow (Mar. 16) with a doubleheader against Florida National (Mar. 16). The series is set to begin at 10:00 a.m.
