Belles Sweep Hawks, Student Princes in Florida
CLERMONT, Fla. - The Saint Mary's softball team claimed a 6-2 win in eight innings against Roger Williams before defeating Heidelberg by a 5-1 score on Wednesday afternoon.
Trailing 1-0 going into the sixth inning, Jillian Busfield leveled the score at 1-1 with a solo home run - the 20th of her career.
Going into extra innings, the Belles built an insurmountable lead in the top of the eighth inning. Kelsey Richards started the inning on second base via the international tiebreaker rule and moved up to third on a sacrifice bunt by Kayla Chapman. Richards came across to score on a passed ball to give Saint Mary's their first lead of the game.
The Belles huddle up in their
second win of the day. (Photo
courtesy of Jeff Garving, Heidelberg
Director of Athletic Marketing
and Information)The scoring was far from done there. Angela Dainelli and Makenzie Duncan each hit singles, and Sarah Callis loaded the bases with a single of her own. Jamie Young put the ball in play toward the Hawks' shortstop, who made an error trying to get Duncan out at third as Dainelli came across to score. The errant throw went into the dugout, allowing Duncan to score for the 4-1 Belles lead. Kayla Raymer added a deep double to left field to plate both Callis and Young, giving the Belles the 6-1 lead.
Roger Williams plated a run in the bottom half of the inning, but the Belles prevailed in their second extra-inning game in as many days.
Jessica Alberts earned the win after going seven complete innings in the circle. Sarah Burke came in to close out the game in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Belles.
Turning right around and facing off against Heidelberg, the Belles got on the scoreboard right away in the top of the first inning. Sarah Callis hit a lead-off single and scored from first base on a triple to left-center field by Jamie Young.
Two innings later when the top of the order was back up to bat for Saint Mary's, the Belles delivered another run. Callis had another lead-off single and was moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Jamie Young. Kayla Raymer then drove Callis in with a double to left field to make it 2-0.
The Belles doubled their lead in the top of the fifth inning. Jamie Young and Cassie Young each hit singles, and the pair scored on a two-out double down the left field line by Jillian Busfield to make it 4-0 heading into the late stages of the game.
Saint Mary's tacked on another run in the sixth inning. Kayla Chapman started the inning off with a triple down the right field line and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Makenzie Duncan.
The run support was more than enough for Sarah Burke, who put together a solid performance in the circle. The junior pitcher surrendered just six hits over seven complete innings with no earned runs and a strikeout. Burke did not allow an extra base hit in the game while she and the defense only allowed two runners to get into scoring position prior to the seventh inning. The Student Princes scored their lone run of the game - an unearned run - on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning.
Sarah Callis went 3-for-4 in the win with three singles and two runs scored. Jamie Young, Cassie Young, and Jillian Busfield each chipped in two hits for the Belles. Jamie Young drove in a run and scored another run. Cassie Young scored a run, and Busfield drove in a pair.
The Belles (7-1) close out their spring break competitions tomorrow when they take on Stockton at 11:00 a.m. and Transylvania at 1:00 p.m. in Clermont, Florida.