RICHMOND, Indiana - It was a milestone day for the Mount St. Joseph softball program as longtime head coach
Beth Goderwis eclipsed the 400 win plateau in game one of the Lions HCAC double-header at Earlham. The Mount won game one by a score of 5-3 to secure the 400th win for coach Goderwis, and followed that up with a hard fought 6-5 win in game two. In her 23 season's at the helm of the Lions softball program, Coach Goderwis has led her program with a passion and intensity that is unparalleled.
GAME ONE | MSJ 5 - Earlham 3
In game one the Lions got the scoring started in the top of the first inning.
Macy Cornelius led the game off with a single to centerfield, she quickly stole second and was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Emily McDonald.
Sydney Hughbanks then grounded out to second, driving in the first run of the game.
Earlham would come back to take the lead in with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning.
The Lions answered immediately, scoring four times in the top of the third to take a 5-2 advantage. Cornelius and McDonald led off the inning with back-to-back doubles to score the second run of the game. An out later
Lauryn Miller hit a double of her own driving in McDonald to push the Lions ahead. Miller was lifted for
Skylar Fletcher as a pinch runner, she advanced to third on a fly out, and scored on a
Maddie Kennedy single. Kennedy then stole second and scored on an RBI single by
Casey Kemp.
Earlham would score one more run to settle the final score at 5-3.
Kemp went the distance in the circle for the Lions getting her 11th win of the season. She allowed eight hits, and three runs while striking out two.
GAME TWO | MSJ 6 - Earlham 5
In game two of the double-header the Lions used three pitchers to get the win, Miller started in the circle going the front 4.0 innings, allowing four hits, an earned run and while striking out two.
Hailey Johnson pitched the fifth inning getting the win her fourth of the season, and
Courtney Keller pitched the final 2.0 innings allowing only a single hit and a single run to get her first save of the season.
The Lions once again got the scoring started in the first, and again it was Cornelius as the catalyst. She led off game two with a triple to left field, and an out later scored on an sacrifice fly by Hughbanks.
Earlham came back to tie the game with one in the third, and took the lead with three in the fifth inning.
The Lions roared back in the top of the sixth with a five run inning, taking advantage of two Earlham errors. Miller led off with a double to rightfield and was lifted for Fletcher as a pinch runner. Fletcher scored on an RBI double by
Kaci Finchum, and then Kennedy drilled a two-run homer to tie the score at four. The inning was capped off with a two-out RBI triple by Cornelius who scored on the play thanks to another Earlham error. At the end of the inning the Lions had a 6-4 lead.
Earlham scored one in the bottom of the inning to draw within one but Keller slammed the door throwing a perfect seventh to secure the sweep.
UP NEXT: The Lions will conclude their 2024 regular season on Saturday as they head north to take on Defiance, this will be the final matchup with Defiance as a member of the HCAC as they are leaving the conference at the conclusion of the season.
