CINCINNATI, Ohio - On Saturday, April 16th your Mount St. Joseph University Lions welcomed the Fightin' Engineers of Rose-Hulman to the MSJ Softball Complex for a HCAC double-header. The Lions dominated both games run ruling Rose-Hulman in both games. The Lions combined for 25 hits and 20 runs in the double-header solidifying their spot as the top team in the HCAC.
GAME ONE: MSJ - 8 RHIT - 0
Kamryn McCool took the circle for the Lions to start game one. McCool was dominant from the start and allowed just 1 hit in 5 innings of work. McCool finished with 8 strikeouts while walking just 2 batters.
The Lions offense got rolling early in the first game. The Lions added 2 runs in the bottom half of the first frame.
Rachel Gabbard doubled to right center bringing in a run and
Casey Kemp singled also bringing in a run. The Lions struck again in the 3rd inning.
Kaci Finchum delivered for the Lions singling to right field extending the lead to 3-0. The Lions didn't stop their as they blew the game open in the bottom of the 4th. The inning began with back-to-back singles from
Ali Lang and
Kelsi Stevenson. Both would steal a base and come around to score on another
Casey Kemp single. With two runners on
Maddie Kennedy would provide a single up the middle giving the Lions a strong 7-0 advantage. The Lions would end the game in the 5th off a single from
Macy Cornelius bringing in the 8th run of the game. After just 5 innings of play the Lions claimed victory by a score of 8-0.
GAME TWO: MSJ - 12 RHIT - 1
Casey Kemp started the second game of the day for the Lions. Kemp was dominant pitching 4 innings allowing just 2 hits and 1 run while striking out 3 batters.
Hailey Johnson also took the circle for the Lions to close out the 5th inning. Johnson allowed just 1 hit while striking out 1 Rose-Hulman hitter to seal the game for The Mount.
The Lions offense did not slow down after a dominant first game. The Lions got on the board first in the bottom half of the first frame.
Macy Cornelius would hit a sacrifice fly to right field bringing in
Ali Lang to give the Lions an early 1-0 lead. Rose-Hulman would grab a run of their own in the top of the 2nd. But, The Mount bounced back nicely and blew the game open.
Maddie Kennedy led off the game with a single followed by consecutive RBI doubles from
Kaci Finchum and
Elizabeth Ivers to give the Lions a 3-1 lead. Following the doubles the Lions would hit 5 consecutive singles.
Emily McDonald,
Ali Lang,
Kelsi Stevenson,
Macy Cornelius and
Rachel Gabbard all provided single accumulating 4 RBIs giving the Lions a 7-1 lead. Cornelius would come around to score on a fielder's choice and Gabbard would score on an error giving the Lions a 9-1 lead. But, the Lions weren't done yet pushing across one more run on a RBI single from
Kaci Finchum. After just two innings of play the Lions led 10-1.
The Lions continued to pile onto their lead in the 3rd inning.
Macy Cornelius was the first to strike with a RBI triple bringing in
Ali Lang. Following Cornelius was a RBI single from
Rachel Gabbard extending the Lions lead to 12-1.
Casey Bramble would threaten with a double to right center but the inning would come to an end.
Hailey Johnson came into the game to pitch the final inning and took care of the order nicely securing the Lions' second victory of the day by a score of 12-1.
UP NEXT: Your Mount St. Joseph Lions travel to Ada, Ohio on Thursday, April 21st to take on the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern. Games are scheduled to begin at 3:30pm and 5:30pm. Please continue to tune into msjlions.com for coverage of your MSJ Softball team and all MSJ Athletics.
