KISSIMMEE, Florida - The Mount St. Joseph University softball team took on Wisconsin-Lutheran and North Central on their final day of competition in their annual spring break trip to Florida. They took game one vs. Wisconsin-Lutheran in eight innings, before dropping the final game of the trip to North Central 2-0.
GAME ONE | MSJ 3 - Wisconsin-Lutheran 2 (WP: L. Miller 2-0, LP: K. Mietsner 0-1)
The Lions managed 10-hits in the ballgame, and threatened to score throughout the game but were eluded by the big-hit to break the game open. Coach Goderwis send sophomore
Courtney Keller to the circle to start the game looking for a bounce-back performance. Keller was solid in her four innings of work, allowing just three hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out two. Lauren Miller was nearly perfect in relief allowing only one-hit over the next four innings to secure the win.
Offensively the Lions had four players with at least two hits in the game,
Sydney Hughbanks led the way with three and
Maddie Kennedy,
Kaci Finchum and Lauren Miller all added a pair. Both teams were able to score a pair of runs in the fourth inning. The Lions scored first, in the top of the fourth inning. Miller led off with a basehit up the middle and was lifted for a pinch runner.
Amanda Logeais entered and promptly moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by
Avery Wiltermood. Keller followed with a one-out walk and
Skylar Fletcher entered as pinch-runner, she almost immediately stole second base. Hughbanks then got the Lions on the board with a two-run single up the middle scoring both Logeais and Fletcher.
Wisconsin-Lutheran answered for a pair in the bottom of the fourth, and the teams would remain scoreless for the remainder of regulation.
In the top of the eighth, the Lions placed Wiltermood at second base because of the extra-innings rule.
Kelsi Stevenson pinch-hit for Keller and got a perfect sacrifice bunt down to move her over to third base with one-out. Hughbanks then delivered again, once again lacing an RBI single back through the middle to push the Lions ahead 3-2.
In the bottom of the inning, the Wisconsin-Lutheran runner was advanced on a sac bunt. They looked poised to tie the game at 3, but Miller got a pop-up to shallow left and a groundout to first to strand the runner at third and secure the win.
GAME TWO | North Central 2 - MSJ 0 (WP: J. Maude 5-0, LP:
Casey Kemp 4-3)
In game two of the day
Casey Kemp headed to the circle, the Lions senior was a tough-luck loser in this one. She threw a complete-game allowing only four hits and two runs while striking out four.
The Lions offense out-hit the Cardinals 5-4, but were unable to put together any sustained rallies.
Five different players registered a hit in the game for MSJ,
Alayna Flynn,
Macy Cornelius, Kennedy, Miller and Hughbanks each registered a single hit.
North Central scored a single run in the top of the first and then another in the third to secure the win.
UP NEXT: The Lions sit at 7-7 on the season and will be on the road again next week, as they will head to Denison on Friday for a double-header. The Big Red are 4-4 on the season, with a double-header versus Chatham standing between them and the matchup with the Lions on Friday.
