Belles Sweep Spartans

Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

• Kelsey Richards helped lead the way in game one with a hit, a run, and the game-winning RBI.
• Morgan Raymer went the distance in the circle, surrendering two runs on seven hits while striking out five and not allowing an extra base hit in the game.
• Jamie Young went 3-for-4 in game two with two RBI and two runs scored.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team rallied for a 3-2 come-from-behind win in game one before claiming a decisive 8-1 win in game two against Manchester on Tuesday.

The Spartans jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning of game one. Manchester doubled their lead in the top of the fifth with a two-out rally to put the pressure on the Belles late in the game.

Saint Mary's broke through with two runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Kelsey Richards led off the inning with a single up the middle. Kelsey Keilman then singled through the left side to put a pair of runners on base. Jamie Young laced a hard single to center field, and a bobble on the play by the Spartans allowed Richards to score on the play. After a fielder's choice saw Keilman forced out at third, both Jamie and Cassie Young advanced 60 feet on a passed ball. Jamie Young then tied up the game on an infield ground out by Morgan Raymer to make it 2-2. The Belles left the go-ahead run on third to end the inning, but the momentum had swayed in favor of Saint Mary's heading into the seventh.

The Belles forced the Spartans into stranding a runner on second in the top of the seventh. In the bottom half of the frame, Caitlyn Migawa drew a lead-off walk before Megan Knudsen came in to pinch run. Krystal Harris then hit an infield single, and Alyssa Gutierrez put down the sacrifice bunt to move the pair into scoring position. Kelsey Richards then ripped a deep fly ball to the left-center gap, which was more than enough to plate Knudsen for the game-winning run.

Morgan Raymer went the distance in the circle, surrendering two runs on seven hits while striking out five and not allowing an extra base hit in the game. Five different players tallied a hit for Saint Mary's. Kelsey Richards helped lead the way with a hit, a run, and the game-winning RBI. Jamie Young added a hit and a run scored.

Game two saw the Belles plate two runs in each of the first three innings of the contest. Krystal Harris and Jamie Young each collected hits in the first inning before Jamie and Cassie Young scored on an infield ground out and an error to give the Belles a quick 2-0 lead. In the second inning, Alyssa Gutierrez drew a lead-off walk and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Harris. Jamie Young dropped a double down the left field line to score Gutierrez, and Cassie Young drove in Jamie Young with an infield hit. Emma Conroy started off the third inning with a walk, and Kelsey Richards stayed inside a pitch to drop it inside the left field line to put a pair on board. A sacrifice bunt by Gutierrez advanced the runners, and back-to-back singles by Harris and Jamie Young scored both Conroy and Richards for a 6-0 Saint Mary's lead.

Manchester got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth with a pair of doubles down the left field line, but the Belles ended the threat with an infield ground out to end the inning. In the top of the sixth, the Spartans were poised to cut further into the lead as Manchester had bases loaded with just one out gone. An infield pop up gave the Belles two outs, and Jessica Alberts drew an easy fly out to end the inning with Saint Mary's holding the 6-1 advantage.

The offense gave the pitching staff some additional run support in the bottom half of the sixth. Cassie Young had a lead-off single, and Caitlyn Migawa drove in the center fielder with a double to the left-center gap. Two batters later, Kelsey Keilman drove in Migawa with a double of her own for the 8-1 Saint Mary's lead. Alberts closed out the game with a one-two-three top of the seventh to secure the doubleheader sweep.

Jamie Young went 3-for-4 in game two with two RBI and two runs scored. Krystal Harris was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Cassie Young added a 2-for-4 effort with an RBI while scoring twice. Caitlyn Migawa chipped in a 2-for-4 performance at the plate with a run scored and an RBI. Each player in the Belles' offensive line up successfully reached base at least once in the win.

Zoe Bruni picked up the win in the circle after going 5.1 innings. The sophomore struck out three and surrendered one run on three hits. Jessica Alberts closed out the final 1.2 innings and struck out a pair while not allowing a hit.

The Belles (8-8) open conference play on Wednesday, March 29 as they travel to Olivet for a doubleheader against the Comets beginning at 3:30 p.m.