Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Saints battled Lourdes this afternoon (Mar. 29) to start AQ's conference season. Lourdes pulled out a win in the first contest, but the Saints rallied to take down the second game and split the series. Today's result moves Aquinas to 19-5 on the season with a 1-1 WHAC record.

Game 1: Lourdes 13, Aquinas 10

The Gray Wolves struck first in the second inning with a pair of doubles, but AQ immediately responded after hits from Haley Myers and Carson Hendrickson knocked in a run. However, the Gray Wolves went right back to scoring after five hits that included a home run brought three runs across the plate in the top of the third.

The high-scoring game continued into the bottom half of the third as four hits, several walks, and an error from LU helped the Saints bring seven runs home to take an 8-4 lead. Jessica Dobias, Kaelyn Stafford, and Alexa Kownacki all had RBIs in the inning.

Lourdes evened the score in the next half-inning as walks were the visitor's best friend. A three-run home run after two opening walks cut the AQ lead to just one. Four more walks leveled the score at eight.

The visitors from Ohio kept the offense rolling into the top of the fifth inning, bringing five more runs home off of four hits and an error to take a 13-8 advantage. Elizabeth Haunhorst hit an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth and Stafford hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to score two more runs, but AQ couldn't muster quite enough offense to comeback.

LU had the bats going all game, generating 18 hits. The result also gave Leah Vaughan her first loss of the season after coming into the game in relief.

Game 2: Aquinas 7, Lourdes 4

Grace Maguire received the start in the second game and got to work right away, retiring the first 11 batters for Lourdes before allowing a single.

The Saints scored first in the second inning after Dobias hit a leadoff triple and Hendrickson hit her home. AQ then built the lead to six with a massive five-run fourth inning. Doubles from Haunhorst and Myers scored two runs. Katie Carlson added on two more with a two-RBI single after a pair of walks and a wild pitch a couple of batters later scored Courtney Hardin.

Lourdes finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth with two runs off of four hits, but Emma Houseman recorded her first RBI of the day to get a run back. LU managed to score a couple more runs, but couldn't establish enough momentum to come back.

Maguire's complete-game performance improves her record this season to 8-1.

By the Numbers

Myers had herself a day, batting 5/7 at the plate with a double, walk, and an RBI.

Kownacki (3), Hendrickson (3), Carlson (3), Houseman (2), Stafford (2), and Haunhorst (2) all recorded multiple hits over the two games.

The Saints were busy on the basepaths as usual, stealing 10 bases on 11 attempts today.

Up Next

Aquinas returns to Cornerstone's Softball Field tomorrow (Mar. 30) to play a pair of games against Cleary. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.