Belles Swipe Single-Run Wins from Spartans

Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team took a pair of one-run wins over Manchester on a windy and chilly Thursday afternoon.

The Belles struck first in the top of the second inning. After back-to-back singles by Angela Gillis and Jordie Wasserman and a stolen base put a pair of runners in scoring position, Michelle Duncan drove in Gillis with an infield grounder. The scoring opportunity ended there for Saint Mary's, however, as a pair of line-outs ended the inning.

Manchester responded with an unearned run in the bottom of the second while adding another unearned run in the bottom of the fourth to claim a 2-1 lead.

Saint Mary's put together a late comeback in the opener as they faced that same 2-1 deficit heading into their final at-bats. Emily Sherwood drew a one-out walk, Kristen Nelson singled, and Lauren Enayati drove in Sherwood with a single to tie the game. Victoria Connelly then walked to load the bases, and Callie Selner drew a two-out walk to plate Nelson with what turned out to be the game-winning run.

Selner closed out the game one complete-game win by retiring the Spartan side in order in the bottom of the seventh. The sophomore did not allow an earned run in the win while scattering five hits, striking out four, and walking just one.

Angela Gillis was 3-for-4 at the plate in the opener with a run scored. Lauren Enayati went 2-for-4 with a run batted in and a stolen base in the game one effort to help lead the Belles.

Game two turned out to have the same dramatic flair as the opener did. The Spartans scored a run in the bottom of the first, but Saint Mary's came right back with four runs of their own in the top of the second on their way to hitting through the order. The Belles used a single by Emily Sherwood, a double by Morgan Bedan, and four consecutive walks to take the early upper hand.

After Manchester got a run back in the third, the Belles plated one in the fourth and three in the fifth for an 8-4 lead. In the three-run fifth, the Belles took advantage of a two-out error with consecutive hits by Victoria Connelly, Morgan Bedan, and Callie Selner to plate all three runs with two outs.

The Spartans put together a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 8-8. Both teams got a runner on base in the sixth inning with two outs already gone, and both teams came up empty-handed.

It would be Saint Mary's who would come through with the next two-out run. In the top of the seventh inning, Callie Selner helped her own cause in a big way with a two-out double that plated Victoria Connelly all the way from first base. The Belles saw the Spartans get runners on first and second with one out in the bottom half of the inning, but a fly out and a strikeout later, Saint Mary's walked away with their second one-run win of the day.

Angela Gillis was credited with eight runs in 4.2 innings of work in the circle. Callie Selner came in to pitch in the fifth inning, and was nearly lights out over the next two-plus innings of work. The sophomore allowed just one hit, walked a pair, and struck out the final out of the game while not being credited with any runs. Selner also earned her 16th pitching win of the year in game two, which is the most wins by a Saint Mary's pitcher in the last 22 years of Belles softball.

Selner also led the offensive efforts in the game-two victory as she went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and four runs batted in for the Belles. Victoria Connelly and Emily Sherwood both added 2-for-3 efforts at the dish. Connelly scored three times and drove in a run while walking twice. Sherwood walked once and scored once in the win.

The Belles (26-10) close out the regular season with a potential top-four MIAA finish and trip to the MIAA Tournament on the line when they host Alma on Saturday, April 28 beginning at 2:00 p.m.