Belles Take Opener, Comeback Falls Short in Nightcap Against Wheaton

Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

WHEATON, Ill. - With both teams entering the day with just one loss apiece, the Saint Mary's softball team and Wheaton split their doubleheader on Tuesday. The Belles claimed a 3-2 win in the opener and saw their bid at a comeback fall just short by falling 5-4 in game two.

In the opener, both teams' offenses took a little time getting started. The Thunder plated a run in the bottom half of the third inning on a sacrifice fly. The game remained 1-0 in favor of Wheaton until the top of the sixth inning. Victoria Connelly led of the inning by drawing a walk. Emily Sherwood sent a single into left field to put two aboard for the Belles. Morgan Bedan then tied up the game with a double to left-center field to plate Connelly and put Sherwood just 60 feet away from giving the Belles the lead. Two batters later, Callie Selner drove in Sherwood with a single to left field. Bedan then scored Saint Mary's third run of the game on a fielder's choice by Angela Gillis.

The Thunder got a run back in the bottom half of the sixth after a lead-off double and a single later in the inning. The Belles then kept the Thunder out of scoring position in the bottom half of the seventh inning to take the 3-2 win.

Kristen Nelson was 2-for-2 with a walk in the opener. Emily Sherwood added a 2-for-4 effort from the plate with a run scored. Bedan had a double, drove in the game-tying run, and scored the winning run for the Belles.

Callie Selner earned the win in the circle by striking out four and walking none while going the distance.

In the nightcap, the Thunder plated three runs in the first, one in the second, and one in the third to spot themselves with a 5-0 lead. The decision was far from being a done deal at that point, however. Kate Mitchell, Michelle Duncan, and Kristen Nelson started off the fifth inning with back-to-back-to-back singles to get the Belles on the scoreboard. Two batters later, Emily Sherwood drove in Duncan with a single of her own to cut the Thunder lead to 5-2.

In the sixth, Callie Selner led off with a double and Angela Gillis reached first on an error by Wheaton's pitcher. Duncan then drove in Selner with her second hit of the game. Victoria Connelly came through with a two-out single to left-center field to plate Gillis and get Saint Mary's within 5-4. Unfortunately for Saint Mary's, the rally ended there as the Belles fell by the 5-4 final. Saint Mary's left nine batters on base in the loss.

Michelle Duncan was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored for Saint Mary's. Morgan Bedan also was 2-for-3 at the dish while Kate Mitchell went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Gillis picked up the blemish on her record, scattering eight hits over six innings and surrendering four earned runs in the circle.

The Belles (10-2) will host Adrian on Saturday, March 24 for both teams' conference opening doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.