Belles Open MIAA Play with Sweep of Comets

Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

• Morgan Raymer threw a complete game in the opener, struck out seven, and walked just one while going 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, three RBI, and three runs scored.
• Cassie Young and Makenzie Duncan each added 2-for-4 efforts with a double in game one.
• Raymer picked up her second pitching win of the day after she went five complete and allowed only three hits while striking out three.
• Krystal Harris, Jamie Young, and Alyssa Gutierrez led the way with two hits each.

OLIVET, Mich. - The Saint Mary's softball team earned 7-1 and 5-0 victories over Olivet to open their conference schedule on Wednesday afternoon.

The Belles plated two runs in the second and three in the third to take control early in the game one win against the Comets. Morgan Raymer led off the second inning with a single to center field, and Makenzie Duncan laced a double to center field to put the pair into scoring position. After two outs nearly ended the threat, Alyssa Gutierrez delivered a timely single to left-center to plate the pair. Jamie Young started off the third inning with a double to center field. Two batters later, Cassie Young beat out a suicide squeeze bunt for the infield single while Jamie Young scored on the play. Morgan Raymer then came up and belted a home run over the left field fence to make it 5-0.

Olivet scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning to break up the shutout, but the Belles came right back with two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Cassie Young dropped a double down the left field line, and Raymer followed suit with a double to left field to plate Young. Raymer moved up on a wild pitch and scored easily on a single to left field by Caitlyn Migawa for the 7-1 lead. After a lead off single for the Comets in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Belles closed out the win with three consecutive outs for the 7-1 final.

Morgan Raymer threw a complete game in the opener on her way to her fifth pitching win of the season. She struck out seven and walked just one while not allowing an earned run. She helped her own cause in a big way at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, three RBI, and three runs scored. Cassie Young and Makenzie Duncan each added 2-for-4 efforts with a double. Young scored a pair of runs and drove in one, and Duncan scored a run. Alyssa Gutierrez was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Jamie Young and Krystal Harris each chipped in a pair of hits. Jamie Young had two doubles and scored a run.

The Belles scored runs in three of the first four innings of the nightcap to set the tone again. In the bottom of the first, Krystal Harris led off with a single, Jamie Young singled on a bunt, and the pair moved up 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Kelsey Keilman. Cassie Young then drove in Harris with a sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead.

The bottom of the second saw Saint Mary's push two additional runs across. Morgan Raymer, Makenzie Duncan, and Caitlyn Migawa hit consecutive singles to start the inning. All three advanced on a wild pitch to make it a 2-0 game. Two batter later, Alyssa Gutierrez drove in Duncan with a single to right field to give the Belles the 3-0 edge.

In the fourth inning, the Belles scored two runs after sending seven batters to the plate. Gutierrez hit a one-out single, Harris reached on a fielder's choice, and Jamie Young kept the momentum going with a bunt single. Gutierrez was cut down at home on a fielder's choice which saw Kelsey Keilman reach first. Cassie Young then drew a bases-loaded walk, and Jamie Young scored during the next at bat on a passed ball for the 5-0 lead.

The run support was more than enough for the Belles' pitching duo of Morgan Raymer and Zoe Bruni. Raymer picked up her second pitching win of the day after she went five complete and allowed only three hits while striking out three. Zoe Bruni closed out the final two innings and did not surrender a hit while striking out one and walking one.

Krystal Harris, Jamie Young, and Alyssa Gutierrez led the way with two hits each. Harris scored twice, Young scored a run, and Gutierrez drove in a run. Makenzie Duncan drew two walks and posted a hit.

The Belles (10-8, 2-0 MIAA) return home to host Kalamazoo on Saturday, April 1 beginning at 1:00 p.m.