Belles Sweep Brits
Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score
ALBION, Mich. - The saint Mary's softball team swept an MIAA doubleheader at Albion by 14-6 (6 innings) and 6-3 scores on Thursday.
The Belles scored runs in every inning but the third in the first game. saint Mary's struck in the first inning after Lauren Enayati singled to lead off the game, stole second, and scored on a single by Callie Selner.
Lauren Enayati looks to connect with
a pitch in the Belles' first game
against Albion.The Britons scored a pair in the bottom half of the first on a one-out double, but the Saint Mary's defense forced Albion to strand runners at the corners to end the inning.
Saint Mary's regained the lead right back in the top of the second inning as Kate Mitchell and Kristen Nelson both scored on a triple by Enayati.
The Belles added two more runs in the top of the fourth, four in the fifth, and five in the sixth to put the game well out of reach for the Brits.
Callie Selner earned the game-one win in the circle after allowing only three earned runs on eight hits in six innings of work.
Saint Mary's had a season-high 22 hits to score their 14 runs as seven players registered multiple hits. Lauren Enayati and Kristen Nelson both went 4-for-4 and scored four runs each in the win. Enayati was a home run away from the cycle with a pair of singles, a double, a triple, and an intentional walk while driving in a pair. Nelson had three singles, a double, and drove in a run in the opener. Callie Selner, Jordie Wasserman, and Kate Mitchell each tallied three hits while Morgan Bedan and Angela Gillis added two hits apiece. Bedan also had a career high six RBIs at the plate.
Game two had a different feel but yielded the same result for the Belles. Albion plated a run in the top of the second inning for the early lead.
The Belles broke open the game with all the offense they would need by scoring five runs on four hits, two errors, and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. Kate Mitchell started off the big inning by reaching second on a pair of errors on the same play. A single by Emily Sherwood then gave Saint Mary's runners at second and third as Mitchell drew the throw home. Kristen Nelson dropped a single into left field to drive in Mitchell. Lauren Enayati reached first on a fielder's choice as Sherwood scored on the play. An infield single by Victoria Connelly loaded the bases with no one out. Morgan Bedan drove in Nelson with a sacrifice fly to left field. Enayati and Connelly both scored on a single by Callie Selner to right field for the team's fourth and fifth run of the inning.
Albion got a run back in the top of the fourth, but Saint Mary's came right back with a run of their own. Kristen Nelson drew a two-out walk and scored after back-to-back singles by Lauren Enayati and Victoria Connelly.
The Brits put on the pressure in their final at-bats of the evening. After plating a run, Albion had bases loaded with two outs and the go-ahead run at the plate, but Angela Gillis drew a grounder to third to end the game.
Angela Gillis picked up the win in game two after allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and striking out a pair.
Kristen Nelson slides in ahead of the throw and
scores a run in game two at Albion.Callie Selner and Emily Sherwood both were 2-for-3 in game two. Selner drove in a pair while Sherwood scored a run. Victoria Connelly also added a pair of hits while scoring once and driving in one. Kristen Nelson remained perfect at the plate with a hit in her only official at-bat, two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI. It is the first time in her career that she has had a perfect day from the plate in both games of a doubleheader.
The Belles (22-10, 7-5 MIAA) will be on the road on Saturday as they travel to Kalamazoo for an MIAA doubleheader against the Hornets beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Western Michigan University's Ebert Field.