Terre Haute, Ind. – The Mount St. Joseph University softball team hit the road to Terre Haute for a conference doubleheader against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. After a week of weather delays and uncertainty, the Lions were fortunate to avoid a reschedule and take the field as planned. In a tightly contested pair of games, MSJ came out on top in an extra-inning battle in game one but narrowly fell short in game two.
Game One | MSJ 2 – RHIT 1 (8 innings)
With first pitch at 5:30 p.m., game one quickly developed into a classic pitchers' duel. The Fightin' Engineers broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth with a single to right field, plating the first run of the evening.
The Lions responded in the fifth, stringing together baserunners and pushing one across to even the score at 1-1. The game remained deadlocked through seven innings, sending it into extras. In the top of the eighth,
Kiley Hankenhoff delivered the decisive hit, a sacrifice fly to right field that brought home
Macy Cornelius for what would be the game-winning run.
Clare Lopeman got the start in the circle, tossing 3.2 innings before
Lesleigh Reimers entered in relief. Reimers finished out the final 4.1 innings, combining with Lopeman to allow just six hits, matching the Lions' total, while striking out six and walking two. The effort from both pitching staffs kept this one tight to the end.
Game Two | RHIT 2 – MSJ 1
Game two mirrored the first in many ways, with both teams again relying on strong pitching. MSJ tallied seven hits while Rose-Hulman managed only three, but it was the Fightin' Engineers who capitalized when it mattered most.
After five scoreless innings, Rose struck in the bottom of the sixth, plating two runs to take the lead. The Lions answered in the top of the seventh when
Avery Wiltermood came around to score on an RBI single by
Emily McDonald to center. But the rally stalled there, and MSJ couldn't bring the tying run home.
Mollie Sharp pitched a complete game for the Lions, giving up just three hits and three walks while striking out eight. Despite her strong outing, the Lions couldn't string together enough offense to complete the comeback, falling 2-1.
Up Next: The Lions return home for another HCAC doubleheader on Sunday, May 4, hosting Earlham College at 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. They'll be back at it again on Monday, May 5, for a doubleheader against Transylvania, also scheduled for 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. — all games weather permitting.
