CINCINNATI, Ohio - On Saturday May 6th, your Mount St. Joseph Softball team played host to the Defiance Yellow Jackets. In between the first and the second contest, the Lions would honor Alyssa Witmer, Ali Lang, Casey Bramble, Elizabeth Ivers, Rachel Gabbard, and Sara Kardos as the Senior class for the 2023 season. All six have made a tremendous impact on and off the field and will go down as one of the most decorated classes in Mount Softball history. In game one of the afternoon, the Lions would lean on Casey Kemp in the circle as she would go on to dominate the Yellow Jackets for seven innings tying her career record for most strikeouts in a game. In the second game of the afternoon, the Lions would once again earn a respectable performance in the circle by Freshman Courtney Keller. The ballgame would find its way into extra innings as Casey Kemp capped off the Lions third extra inning win in the last 4 series as they defeated Defiance 3-2.
GAME ONE: MSJ 4 - DEFIANCE 2
Entering game one, Casey Kemp was coming off a 12 strikeout performance and once again dominated batters early. In the top half of the first, Kemp would set down the Yellow Jackets in order with a pair of strikeouts swinging and one looking to end the half-inning. In the bottom half of the 1st, Lang earned a walk along with Kelsi Stevenson to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a wild pitch moved the runners into scoring position, Courtney Keller stepped up to the plate. Entering the contest Keller would sit inside the top 10 in the country for Home runs on the season. Keller would ground into a fielder's choice which would be enough to drive in the first run of the game. In the second, Kemp once again wasted no time setting the Yellow Jackets down in order. After a leadoff walk once again for the Lions in the second, Alyssa Witmer would enter the game to pitch run. Junior Kaci Finchum would then rocket a ball to the right center gap which kicked off the fence scoring Witmer from first giving the Mount a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the 4th, the Lions would once again use their small ball techniques to their advantage to tally another run. Following a leadoff walk and a Sac Bunt to move the runner into scoring position, a single by Lang moved the runner to third as Lang was then thrown out at second base trying to move into scoring position. After Stevenson drew the Lions 5th walk in the first four innings, Sophomore Macy Cornelius roped a double to Left field scoring the Lions third run of the ballgame. After five shutout innings, Defiance would not go away quietly as they would put up a pair of runs in the top half of the 6th inning making the score 3-2. With the Lions sitting on their final out in the 6th inning Courtney Keller boosted her impressive Freshman Campaign with her 13th home-run on the year. With Defiance looking to make a run in the 7th inning, Casey Kemp ended the ballgame like she started it earning strikeout number 10, 11 and 12 as the Lions would go on to win game one 4-2.
Kemp was dominant in the circle going 7 innings allowing 4 hits and 2 earned runs. Kemp also tallied 12 strikeouts which tied her career high giving her 24 punch outs in the last two outings. Six different Lions played would earn a hit in the ball game as 3 of them were extra base hits. Courtney Keller led the way offensively with a solo homerun and a RBI off of a fielder's choice.
GAME TWO: MSJ 3 - DEFIANCE 2
In the second game of the afternoon, the Lions and the Yellow Jackets found themselves in a pitchers duel early. Freshman Courtney Keller would allow a hit early but quickly settle in to end the inning with no damage done. In the second inning, Keller would once again allow a hit to steal second base but get out of the jam with a strikeout and a fly out to keep the score at zeros. Following back to back three up three down innings from Defiance, the Lions entered the bottom of the 4th still searching for their first hit on the ball game. Macy Cornelius led off the inning with a bunt that was laid perfectly down the third base line, beating the ball to first base earning a single. On the throw, the pitcher would have to quickly scramble as she attempted to get Cornelius at first as the ball would get away into right field. Macy would quickly scramble to third getting the Lions energy going. Courtney Keller would send a base hit up the middle to score the first run of the ball game and help herself out on the Mound giving the Lions a 1-0 lead. Both teams would once again be unable to strike in the 5th inning as Keller had set down six in a row entering the 7th. In the bottom half of the 6th inning, Keller lined a ball off the wall for a one out double as Senior Casey Bramble entered the game to pinch hit. The Senior then delivered in her final game at the MSJ Softball Complex with a double of her own giving the Lions a 2-0 lead. Like in game one, Defiance would not go away without a fight as in the 7th, the Yellow Jackets were able to get a runner on and find a way to hit a two run homerun to tie the ballgame up at 2 a piece. The Lions would have a chance to walk off the game in the bottom half of the 7th but were unable to score the runner from third with one out sending them to extra innings. In extras, Keller was able to earn the first out of the inning after a SAC bunt moved the leading run to third for Defiance. Casey Kemp would then be brought out of the Lions bullpen as they looked for a way out of the jam. Like in game one, Kemp came up clutch striking out back to back batters to allow zero runs. With Stevenson standing on second as the winning run, Cornelius lined a ball through the left side for a base hit as Kelsi stopped at third. Keller was then intentionally walked as Casey Kemp stepped into the box with one out. With Kemp ahead in the count, she hit a hard line drive to third base which was plenty to drive in Stevenson from third as the Lions walked off the Yellow Jackets 3-2 in 8 innings.
Courtney Keller pitched lights out for the Lions going 7 and a third innings allowing 6 hits and two earned runs. Macy Cornelius and Courtney Keller each provided the Lions with two hits in game two while each scoring a run.
Up next for the Lions will be a trip to Transylvania University for the 2023 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball tournament. The Lions will look to defend their back to back tournament titles as they play their first game on Thursday May 11th. The Lions are set to take on the winner of 3 seeded Franklin and 6 seeded Defiance Yellow Jackets, time is still to be announced.
