Belles Split With Grizzlies

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team split a non-conference doubleheader against Franklin on Saturday afternoon with a 7-0 win in game one before falling 5-3 in game two.

In the opener, the Belles broke through with two runs in the top of the third. Ashley Watkins led off with a single to right-center field and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Angela Dainelli. With two outs, Emily Sherwood delivered a double down the left field line to plate Watkins from second. Sherwood scored after an error by the Grizzlies' center fielders on a ball hit by Morgan Bedan.

Saint Mary's added three more runs in the top of the fifth. Victoria Connelly and Callie Selner both had singles and scored, Jillian Busfield hit a double to drive in Selner, and Sarah Callis drove in Busfield on a single down the right field line.

The Belles tacked on an insurance run in each of the sixth and seventh innings to lead 7-0 late.

The seven-run output was more than enough for Callie Selner in the circle. The junior was nearly perfect in a complete game shutout effort as she allowed just one hit - a single - while striking out four and walking none in the complete game shutout win.

Emily Sherwood was 2-for-3 for the Belles with a double, two RBIs, and a sacrifice bunt while also scoring a run. Callie Selner, Jillian Busfield, Sarah Callis, Kayla Chapman, and Ashley Watkins all added 2-for-4 efforts at the dish in the win.

In game two, each team had five hits and two errors, but the Grizzlies managed to score twice on the two Saint Mary's errors while the Belles plated just one run off the two Franklin miscues.

Saint Mary's got that run off of errors in the top of the first inning when Emily Sherwood reached on an error by the Franklin center fielder and scored two batters later on a throwing error by the Grizzlies' shortstop.

Franklin responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first with a double, a sacrifice bunt, and a ground out to knot the game 1-1 after one complete.

The score remained unchanged until the top of the fourth inning when Callie Selner led off with a double to right field and Jillian Busfield blasted her first collegiate home run to center field to put the Belles up 3-1.

The Grizzlies tied the score in the bottom of the fifth. Franklin drew three consecutive walks to load the bases to start off the inning, and the Grizzlies plated a pair on a single up the middle. The Belles minimized the damage by retiring three of the next four batters to send the game to the sixth knotted up at 3-3.

After Saint Mary's left a runner on second in the top of the sixth, the host Grizzlies took advantage of a pair of Saint Mary's miscues in the bottom of the inning. The leadoff hitter reached on an error, but Callie Selner, who came on in relief in the fifth, set down back-to-back hitters on a strikeout and a pop up. The Grizzlies put runners on second and third with a double to left center, and both runners scored on a two-out error for the 5-3 advantage heading into the final inning.

The Belles' efforts for a comeback were held short as Saint Mary's was retired in order in the top of the seventh.

Sarah Burke allowed three earned runs in four-plus innings of work with four strikeouts and four walks. Callie Selner suffered the loss in the circle in two-plus innings without allowing an earned run, walking none, and striking out one.

Jillian Busfield was 2-for-3 with a home run, a single, a run scored, and two runs batted in. Emily Sherwood, Morgan Bedan, and Callie Selner each added a hit in the loss.

The Belles (6-6) are scheduled to be back in action on Thursday, March 28 as they host Defiance for a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.