CLERMONT, FLORIDA – The Mount St. Joseph University softball team split its day-three spring trip doubleheader, defeating North Park 11–2 in Game 1 and losing to Heidelberg 9–5 in Game 2.
GAME ONE | MSJ 11 – North Park 2
Through the first two innings, neither team threatened to score. In the third inning, the Lions were the first to get on the board off a single to first base by Shelby Rakosky, scoring Calli Fletcher, who singled to lead off the inning. In the bottom half of the third, North Park responded by scoring two runs to take a 2–1 lead.
In the fourth, Sydney Hughbanks helped the Mount retake the lead by hitting her first career home run down the left field line, plating three runs and giving the Lions a 4–2 lead. In the fifth, the Lions added two more runs off Avery Wiltermood's first career home run, which was also hit down the left field line.
Shelby Rakosky later hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth, scoring Calli Fletcher, who had doubled to left field to start the inning, giving the Mount a 7–2 lead. Three batters later, Mackinley Lawson hit a grand slam over the left field fence, extending the lead to 11–2. North Park went three-and-out in the bottom of the sixth, and the Lions secured the six-inning run-rule victory by a score of 11–2.
Shelby Rakosky went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Avery Wiltermood went 1-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs, coming off her first career home run. Mackinley Lawson went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, highlighted by a grand slam. Sydney Hughbanks went 2-for-2 with two walks and three RBIs, all coming from her first career home run. Calli Fletcher went 2-for-3 with a double. Lesleigh Reimers earned the win, pitching three and two-thirds innings and allowing no hits.
GAME TWO | Heidelberg 9 – MSJ 5
In Game 2, Heidelberg came out strong, scoring six runs in the top of the first inning. In the bottom half of the first, the Mount cut into the lead, adding a run off a Mackinley Lawson single to make it 6–1. Neither team scored again until the fourth, when Heidelberg added three more runs to extend its lead to 9–1.
The Lions added three runs in the bottom of the fourth when Skylar Fletcher doubled to left-center, plating two runs. A batter later, Shelby Rakosky brought Fletcher home with a single through the left side, cutting Heidelberg's lead to 9–4. The Mount added one more run in the sixth when Avery Wiltermood doubled to left field, scoring Rakosky, who had singled the at-bat before. Heidelberg's big first inning proved to be too much for the Lions, as they fell 9–5.
Shelby Rakosky went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Avery Wiltermood went 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI double. Mackinley Lawson went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Calli Fletcher went 2-for-4 with a double, and Skylar Fletcher went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
UP NEXT: The Mount will travel to Granville, Ohio, to play Denison University in a doubleheader on Thursday, March 19. Game 1 is scheduled for 4:00 p.m., with Game 2 following at approximately 6:00 p.m.
