Belles Split with Cardinals

Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

• Makenzie Duncan and Caitlyn Migawa each had three hits in the game one win.
• Sarah Burke threw the complete game while earning the pitching win.
• Duncan blasted a two-run home run in game two as eight different Belles registered a hit.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team claimed a 10-2 win in six innings in game one before falling 8-6 in game two against North Central on Saturday.

The Belles were in the driver's seat of the first game from the early innings onward. After stranding two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the first, Saint Mary's plated two runs in the second, third, and fourth innings to build a commanding lead. Caitlyn Migawa hit a lead-off single in the second, Jillian Busfield doubled down the left field line, and Eliese Hornberger drove the pair in on a fast-spinning single just past the short stop. In the second inning, Makenzie Duncan hit a lead-off single before Migawa kept the inning alive with a two-out single to drive in Ducan. Busfield drew a walk, and Kelsey Richards hit a double to left field to plate Migawa to make it 4-0.

The Cardinals plated a run in the top of the fourth on back-to-back doubles. The bottom of the fourth inning saw Duncan pick up her second hit in as many innings to get the offense started for the Belles. The sophomore stole second and was driven in on a double to center field by Cassie Young. Migawa delivered a single up the middle two batters later to score Young while ballooning the lead to 6-0.

North Central added a run in the top of the sixth, but Saint Mary's kept the momentum and the run support going in the bottom half of the inning. Duncan doubled, Cassie Young singled to drive in Duncan, and Kayla Chapman singled to plate Young to make it an 8-2 game. An error by the shortstop put Migawa on before Megan Knudsen and Angela Dainelli came in to pinch run at second and first, respectively. A double by Busfield pushed Knudsen across easily from second to put Saint Mary's a run away from ending the game via the mercy rule. Kelsey Richards then ended the game after an error by the third baseman preceded Dainelli's crossing of home plate to invoke the eight-run rule.

Makenzie Duncan and Caitlyn Migawa each tallied three hits in the opener. Duncan scored three times, and Migawa scored twice and drove in a pair. Cassie Young, Jillian Busfield, and Kelsey Richards each picked up two hits. Young had a double and scored twice with two runs batted in. Busfield had a pair of doubles, drove in one, and scored once. Richards also hit a double and drove in two.

Sarah Burke picked up the six-inning complete game win in the circle. The senior allowed just one earned run and struck out three.

Game two saw a shift in the momentum early as the Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead through the first half inning of play with a two-run home run. The Belles quickly erased the deficit in the bottom half of the inning. Sarah Callis drew a lead-off walk, and Makenzie Duncan blasted a two-run home run of her own to make it 2-2.

The hits, however, kept coming for North Central while the Belles had difficulty getting runners on base until late in the game. The Cardinals posted three runs in the top of the third, two in the fourth, and one in the fifth to make it an 8-2 difference.

Saint Mary's had a big boost to the comeback effort in the bottom of the sixth. Jamie Young led the inning off with a double to center field. Angela Dainelli singled to shortstop, and Cassie Young drove in Jamie Young with a stealthy bunt single. Kayla Chapman kept the runs rolling with a double to left-center field, allowing Dainelli to score from second base. A pitching change and two batters later, Jillian Busfield drove in two after squeezing a single through the right side of the defense to cut the deficit to 8-6. Eliese Hornberger kept the inning alive with a two-out single, but the rally ended short as a fly out by Sarah Callis played into the Cardinals' shifted outfield defense.

The Belles made quick work of the Cardinals in the top of the seventh, but the offense was unable to get anything going in the bottom half of the inning as the game ended by the final 8-6 margin.

Eight different Belles registered a hit in game two. Makenzie Duncan blasted a two-run home run. Kayla Chapman and Jamie Young each hit a double and scored a run. Jillian Busfield drove in a pair, and Angela Dainelli, Cassie Young, and Sarah Callis each scored once.

Morgan Raymer suffered the loss in the circle after surrendering five earned runs in 2.1 innings of work. Jessica Alberts was tabbed for two earned runs in 1.2 innings before Mary Green closed out the final three innings while allowing an earned run.

The Belles (9-8) travel to Manchester on Monday, March 28 for a doubleheader beginning at 3:30 p.m.