HANOVER, INDIANA – The Mount St. Joseph University softball team swept its doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Hanover College, run-ruling both games, winning Game 1, 15–3 (5 innings), and Game 2, 9–1 (5 innings).
GAME ONE | MSJ 15 – Hanover 3
The game started as a pitchers' duel, with the first three innings scoreless. Despite the lack of scoring, Shelby Rakosky recorded two hits early on.
In the fourth inning, the Lions' bats came to life, hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs. Mackinley Lawson led off the inning with a home run to left-center, Sydney Hughbanks followed with a home run to left-center, and Natali McGuire homered to center field, putting the Mount ahead 3–0.
Alayna Flynn tripled, scoring Skylar Fletcher, who had singled in the previous at-bat, extending the lead to 4–0. Avery Wiltermood then hit a home run to left field, scoring Flynn and making it 6–0. The Lions' fourth inning featured four home runs and six hits.
The Panthers responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the Mount's lead to 6–3.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Lions recorded 10 hits and scored nine runs. Skylar Fletcher singled to second base, scoring Sydney Hughbanks, who had singled earlier in the inning. Alayna Flynn singled down the left field line, scoring Natali McGuire.
After another run scored on a fielder's choice, the Mount added four more runs on four straight singles from Avery Wiltermood, Kaitlyn Randle, Mackinley Lawson, and Sydney Hughbanks, extending the lead to 13–3. The Mount added two more runs on a single by Calli Fletcher, making it 15–3.
Hanover did not score in the fifth, and the Lions secured the five-inning run-rule victory in Game 1.
Avery Wiltermood went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Mackinley Lawson went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Sydney Hughbanks went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Natali McGuire went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, and Alayna Flynn went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs.
Clare Lopeman earned the win, pitching four innings to improve to 3–0 on the season.
GAME TWO | MSJ 9 – Hanover 1
In Game 2, the Mount kept the bats hot, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Mollie Sharp grounded out to the pitcher, scoring Shelby Rakosky, who led off the game with a walk. Sydney Hughbanks singled to center field, scoring Alix Streeval, who pinch-ran for Mackinley Lawson after her single through the right side.
Kayla Bain then doubled into the left-center gap, scoring Hughbanks to make it 3–0. Skylar Fletcher added the final two runs of the inning with a single up the middle.
In the second inning, the Mount added two more runs following a Panthers error and an RBI groundout by Mollie Sharp, extending the lead to 7–0. Hanover scored one run in the bottom of the second to make it 7–1.
In the third inning, Shelby Rakosky singled to left field, scoring Skylar Fletcher, who had led off the inning with a double. In the fourth, the Mount added another run when Calli Fletcher recorded an RBI groundout to second, scoring Kayla Bain, who had doubled earlier in the inning.
The Panthers did not threaten in the fourth or fifth innings, and the Lions secured the 9–1 run-rule victory in five innings.
Shelby Rakosky went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Mollie Sharp added two RBIs. Kayla Bain went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI, and Skylar Fletcher went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
Mollie Sharp earned the win, pitching five innings, allowing one earned run, and striking out three.
UP NEXT: The Mount will continue HCAC play as they host Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology at the Mount St. Joseph Softball Complex on Saturday, April 4. Game 1 is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., with Game 2 to follow at approximately 3:00 p.m.
