Lions Bats Shine as they sweep the Ravens

CINCINNATI, Ohio - On Saturday April 20^th, 2024 the Mount St. Joseph Softball program played host to the Anderson Ravens. The Lions find a way to work back to .500 in conference play as their bats led the way on the weekend. Over the two games, the Lions racked up 27 hits to go along with Kemp who was outstanding in the circle going 7 innings in game one for the win and closing out the game in game two to earn her first save of the season.
 
Game One: AU – 1   MSJ – 6
In game one of the afternoon, the Lions wasted no time jump onto the scoreboard at home. A pair of singles from Emily McDonald and Sydney Hughbanks put a running in scoring position for the hot bat of Lauryn Miller. Miller like she's done all season, lifted a ball deep to right center field that carried over the wall for a 3-run homerun to put the Lions on the board first and giving Kemp a hefty lead to work with. The pitcher dual would continue before the Lions struck again in the bottom half of the 4^th inning. With two outs for the Mount, McDonald and Hughbanks lined singles through the left side to add an insurance run and give the Mount a 4-0 lead. In the 5^th, Kemp would help herself out in the circle by driving another run for the 5-0 advantage heading to the 6^th. The 6^th inning would be the final inning that the Lions would bat in the ballgame but they would not slow down. Maddie Kennedy would plate another run with an RBI double in the right center game to score the Lions their 6^th run of the game.
As for Kemp, she tore up the Ravens batters for the first 6 innings of play allowing only one hit. In the 7^th the Ravens were able to score a run but it would not take away from Casey's stellar day in the circle. Kemp went all 7 innings for a complete game with an earned run on only four hits while striking out 8 Ravens batters.
 
Game Two: AU – 5   MSJ – 7
Game two was a different approach for the Lions than in game one. Anderson would plate their runs early in the ballgame to make the Lions work from behind. Trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom half of the second inning, extra base hits were the story in the inning. Lauryn Miller would lead the inning off with a double RF that got over the head of the right fielder. Following Miller would be Kennedy who would send a rocket into right center gap plating Skylar Fletcher who would enter the game to run at second base for Miller on the RBI double. With the Lions trialing 2-1 with only one out, Courtney Keller lined a ball down the Left field line scoring Kennedy and tying the ballgame at two.
 
After a scoreless third inning, Anderson would strike for 3 runs in the top of the 5^th to take a 5-2 lead.
 
In the bottom half of the 4^th, Keller ripped another double to right field clearing the head of the right fielder to start the inning off right. Avery Wiltermood then walked setting up first and second with no outs. After a sac bunt flipping the order for the Mount, leadoff batter Macy Cornelius would come up with a crucial hit to flip the script in this game. Cornelius would hit a shot just past the shortstop that was then cut off to hold her to a single but would drive in a pair of Lions making it a 4-5 ballgame. After the second out, Macy would take second base on a stolen base which was then knocked in by Sydney Hughbanks on another single through the right side to tie the ball game at 5 a piece heading to the 5^th.
 
In the 5^th, A one out walk got the inning started followed by Courtney Keller's third hit of the game with a single to left to put a runner in scoring position. Then like they've done all day; the bottom of the order found a way to move the runner in to score. Wiltermood singled through the left side as Keller came around to score giving the Mount their first lead of the day in game two. In the circle the Lions would turn to Lauryn Miller in relief who was outstanding in her 2.1 innings of work, allowing no runs on only two hits with a strikeout.
 
With the Lions holding a 6-5 lead, they would find a very important insurance run in the 6th. The Middle of the order did what they did best and cause havoc on the basepath. 3-hole hitter Sydney Hughbanks got the inning started with a single to right. Kaci Finchum then ripped a ball up the middle and advanced to second as Hughbanks would be thrown out heading to third. With two outs, Kennedy continued her stellar day also singling up the middle giving the Mount a 7-5 lead.
 
In the top of the 7^th, Casey Kemp would embrace a new role closing the game for the Lions. After a groundout and a strikeout for two quick outs, Anderson would find a runner on an error from the Lions defense. No panic at all from Kemp as the tying run stepped into the ball. On three pitches, Kemp set down the Ravens final batter earning them their 13^th win on the season.
 
In game two, Courtney Keller would go 3-4 and an RBI while the dynamic duo of Macy Cornelius and Maddie Kennedy each would go 2-4 with a combined 4 RBI's.
 
The Lions will continue their April homestand with a doubleheader against the Bluffton Beavers on April 24^th, First pitch for game one will be at 4:00 PM.