Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Saints pulled out two close wins over Cleary today (Mar. 30) to cap off a 3-1 weekend. Both games came down to the wire, but AQ managed to find a way to win in both contests. Today's results put AQ at 3-1 in conference play and at 21-5 on the season.
Game 1: Aquinas 8, Cleary 7
AQ got the bats going immediately to kick off the doubleheader. Aquinas' all-time leader in walks,
Courtney Hardin, reached base on balls and
Kim Sosnowski ripped a double to put two runners in scoring position.
Haley Myers hit one run in and then Sosnowski scored on Myers' steal attempt for a quick two-run lead.
The top of the second is where Cleary did most of its damage. The Cougars scored six runs on four hits and an error to change the early momentum of the match.
Aquinas quickly responded in the bottom of the frame with three hits including a
Kaelyn Stafford triple to cut the deficit to just two. That deficit became just one in the bottom of the third after
Katie Carlson's second career home run scored AQ's fifth run.
Sydney Bosgraaf entered the game in the second inning and locked up the game over the next few innings, keeping Cleary off the scoreboard until the seventh inning.
Meanwhile, in the bottom of the fifth, sacrifice flies from
Elizabeth Haunhorst and
Carson Hendrickson knocked in a pair of runs to give the Saints the lead back. However, Cleary managed to tie up the game in the seventh inning with a solo home run. That was the only hit that Bosgraaf allowed since the second inning.
Myers started the bottom of the seventh with a single and
Jessica Dobias hit a sacrifice bunt to move Myers into scoring position. Unfortunately for the Cougars, a massive two-out error from the center fielder allowed Myers to score and end the game 8-7 in favor of AQ.
Game 2: Aquinas 4, Cleary 2
Sophia Pavese started the game with a one-two-three inning and hits from Myers and Haunhorst put runners on the corners. AQ executed another double steal to score Myers and place the first run on the scoreboard.
Both teams had several hits over the ensuing innings, but neither side managed to string together enough offense to bring any runs home. That changed in the fourth frame when Dobias launched her second career homer and her first of the season to double the lead.
The Saints made it four runs in the fifth inning after an
Emma Houseman triple hit
McKenna Hinkle home. A well-executed sacrifice bunt from Sosnowski then scored Houseman for a 4-0 advantage.
Cleary gave AQ a scare in the top of the seventh after scoring a pair of runs on two hits and two errors, but a flyout to left field ended the second game and gave the Saints a sweep.
Pavese ended the game with two unearned runs, nine hits, and three punchouts. The result improved her to 8-2 on the season.
By the Numbers
Myers put together another monster day at the plate as AQ's third baseman continues to shine. She went 5/7 at the plate with three runs, an RBI, and a stolen base. The senior is now batting .416 this season with a team-leading 32 hits.
Stafford (3), Houseman (2), Dobias (2), and Hinkle (2) all ended the day with multiple hits. Carlson and Dobias both launched home runs.
Up Next
The Saints have a very busy road week with doubleheaders on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. AQ is set to take on Lawrence Tech, Kalamazoo, Concordia, and Rochester.
