Melbourne, Fla. — Day four in Florida might technically be "spring break," but for the Aquinas softball team it has felt a lot more like a grind. Game after game, inning after inning, the Saints have been putting in the work at the Space Coast Spring Games. The reminder that it really is spring break came courtesy of a message from home — it was snowing on campus back in Grand Rapids. Under Florida sunshine instead of Michigan flurries, AQ kept rolling Wednesday, picking up two more wins with a day off finally waiting on Thursday.
Aquinas 4, St. Mary-of-the-Woods 3 (Game 1 Wednesday)
The Saints showed patience and resilience in the opener, rallying late to defeat St. Mary-of-the-Woods, 4–3.
Aquinas trailed early after the Pomeroys capitalized on a pair of AQ miscues to score runs in the second and third innings. The Saints began to chip away in the bottom of the third when McKenna Hinkle worked a walk, stole third, and later came home on a clutch RBI double by Alea Fisher that cut the deficit to 2–1.
While the AQ offense searched for its breakthrough, Kenzie Green settled in inside the circle. The freshman right-hander worked out of several tight spots, keeping the Saints within striking distance while the defense behind her made the necessary plays.
The turning point came in the bottom of the sixth inning. Mallory Buikema drew a walk and Lauren Wilkins entered as a pinch runner. Bella Asai followed with another walk before Karigann Cuthbert delivered the tying blow with an RBI single.
Moments later, the Saints grabbed the lead. Maci Willey reached on a fielder's choice to keep the inning alive before Hinkle delivered a run-scoring single to put AQ ahead for the first time. Daniela Anzaldua followed with another RBI knock, bringing home Willey and pushing the Saints lead to 4–2.
St. Mary-of-the-Woods mounted a final push in the seventh inning after a double and a series of baserunners created late tension, but Aquinas held on to secure the win.
Green tossed a complete game to earn the victory, scattering eight hits while allowing three runs — none of them earned — as the Saints claimed the opener.
Hinkle and Fisher each recorded two hits to lead the AQ offense, while Cuthbert and Anzaldua delivered key RBIs during the decisive sixth inning rally.
Aquinas 5, Florida National 3 (Game 2 Wednesday)
The Saints carried that momentum into the nightcap, using timely hitting and strong pitching to complete the Wednesday sweep with a 5–3 victory over Florida National.
Florida National struck first with a run in the opening inning, but Aquinas answered in the second. Fisher singled to begin the inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Buikema to even the score.
AQ seized control in the third inning. Maci Willey reached base to start the rally before Hinkle delivered a single. Daniela Anzaldua then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position.
Katie Carlson followed with an RBI single to give the Saints the lead. Abby Nieswender added another run-scoring hit moments later, and Buikema capped the inning with an RBI single to center field as AQ built a 4–1 advantage.
The Saints added an insurance run in the fourth inning when Hinkle singled, stole second, and raced home on a double by Anzaldua to extend the lead to 5–2.
Emma Austin delivered six strong innings in the circle, allowing three runs while limiting Florida National to five hits. Addy Buchin entered in the seventh inning and struck out two to earn the save and secure the sweep.
Hinkle paced the Saints offensively with three hits and two runs scored, while Fisher added two hits as AQ finished with 11 hits in the victory.
Saints Snapshots
• Wednesday Sweep — The Saints collected two more victories at the Space Coast Spring Games, continuing their strong Florida trip.
• Clutch Sixth — AQ scored three runs in the sixth inning of Game 1, turning a late deficit into a comeback win.
• Green Complete — Kenzie Green tossed a full seven innings in the opener, allowing just three runs — none earned — to secure the victory.
• Table Setter — McKenna Hinkle sparked the Saints offense all day, collecting multiple hits across the doubleheader and scoring key runs.
• Balanced Bats — Aquinas pounded out 11 hits in Game 2 with contributions coming throughout the lineup.
• Closing Time — Addy Buchin struck out two batters in the seventh inning of the nightcap to lock down the save.
Coach's Comments
Following the sweep, Head Coach Patty Jansen spoke about the way the Saints are beginning to play for each other as the trip continues.
"This team is really starting to come together," Jansen said. "One of the things I love about this group is that when one player has an off day, two or three others step up to pick her up. That's how good teams are built. We're seeing contributions throughout the lineup and players making big plays for each other, and that's really encouraging to see."
Up Next
The AQ softball team will enjoy a day off in the Florida sun on Thursday before returning to action on Friday. The Saints are looking forward to healing up some cuts and bruises, enjoying the opposite of Grand Rapids weather, and maybe even catching a little basketball while relaxing in the pool.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full postgame coverage of AQ Softball and all Saints sports.
