Rosemont, Ill. — If you had told Head Coach Patty Jansen and the Saints before boarding the bus that they would leave Rosemont 5–1, even the most confident player might have paused for a second.

First trip of the year. Three days. Two nights. A new head coach setting a new tone. Early-season nerves. Five wins felt ambitious.

But games aren't won in projections.

They're won between the lines.

And this team made it very clear this weekend — they are comfortable letting their play do the talking.

Aquinas 6, Calumet 3 (Game 1 Saturday)

The Saints wasted no time asserting themselves, scoring in each of the first three innings to build a 6–0 cushion.

McKenna Hinkle set the tone immediately, singling to open the game and swiping second before Katie Carlson delivered an RBI double to put AQ on the board. Carlson quietly pieced together one of the best weekends of anyone in Rosemont, finishing this one 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI.

In the second inning, Phoenix Shaw reached and later scored as Aquinas capitalized on defensive pressure. Then came the decisive third. Olivia Tozer singled. Carlson followed with another base hit. Alea Fisher delivered a two-RBI single to center. Bella Asai added a two-run knock of her own as the Saints erupted for four runs.

Kenzie Greene was steady in the circle, tossing five innings while allowing just one hit and two unearned runs. Audrey Schindler secured the final six outs.

Ten hits. Efficient pitching. Confident start.

Exactly how you want to open a weekend.

Aquinas 5, Trinity Christian 4 (Game 2 Saturday)

If the opener was composed, game two was gritty.

Trinity Christian struck first, forcing Aquinas to respond. In the fourth inning, Carlson singled and Abby Nieswender ripped an RBI double to tie the game. Daniela Anzaldua followed with an RBI single to give AQ the lead.

Carlson finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a double. Nieswender added three hits and two RBIs. Fisher chipped in with a run-scoring single in the sixth.

But Trinity Christian refused to fade, eventually pushing the game into extra innings.

In the eighth, Aquinas found its edge. Hinkle started on second, Carlson delivered an RBI single, and Nieswender followed with another clutch hit to extend the lead.

Sydney Bosgraaf shut the door, throwing three strong innings in relief and striking out four to earn the win.

It wasn't flashy.

It was resilient.

And early in a season, resilience matters.

Aquinas 8, Judson 6 (Game 1 Sunday)

Sunday morning featured fireworks.

The Saints exploded for four runs in the first inning. Hinkle walked, stole second, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Jadalyn Lopez. Mallory Buikema delivered a two-RBI double, and Anzaldua added an RBI single as AQ jumped ahead 4–0.

The third inning was the turning point. Carlson singled. Lopez followed with a base hit. Fisher drove in a run. Anzaldua continued her hot streak with a two-RBI single. Gianna Naccarato added an RBI knock as the Saints built an 8–0 advantage.

Judson pushed back with a four-run third and chipped away late, but Bosgraaf again stabilized things in relief, striking out six over three innings.

Anzaldua finished with three RBIs. Buikema doubled and drove in two. Fisher collected two hits. The Saints piled up 10 hits and forced Judson to play from behind all morning.

Aquinas 8, Mount Mary 0 (Game 2 Sunday)

The finale left no doubt.

Daniela Anzaldua scored in the first. McKenna Hinkle doubled home a run in the second. Then Meagan Postma delivered the exclamation point — a two-run home run to left that broke the game open.

Abby Nieswender tripled in the third and later scored. Olivia Tozer drove in a run. Katie Carlson added another RBI single. Lauren Wilkins chipped in with an RBI as the Saints built an 8–0 lead.

Emma Austin was dominant, tossing three hitless innings with three strikeouts. Schindler followed with two more scoreless frames to complete the shutout.

Six hits.

Eight runs.

Total control.  Let's go home!

Inside the Numbers

     • 27 runs scored in four games
     • 39 total team hits
     • 3 games with 10 hits
     • 7 RBIs from Daniela Anzaldua on Sunday alone
     • 10 combined strikeouts from Bosgraaf and Austin in Sunday victories
     • 5 pitchers used across the weekend — depth on display

Coach's Comments

Following the tournament, Head Coach Patty Jansen reflected on the weekend:

"I'm proud of how we competed. Opening the season on the road is never easy, especially when you're building new habits and standards. The energy was consistent, the effort was there, and we found ways to win tight games. That's a strong starting point. But we're not finished products. There's still a lot to clean up, and this group knows that. I love the direction we're headed."

Up Next

With old man winter still refusing to cooperate in Michigan, the Saints will remain on the road. Aquinas travels to Iowa on Saturday, February 21 for a pair of games, looking to build upon a 5–1 start to the 2026 campaign. Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full postgame coverage of AQ Softball and all Saint sports.