CINCINNATI, OHIO – The Mount St. Joseph University softball team split its doubleheader Thursday evening at the MSJ Softball Complex vs. Bluffton University, winning Game 1, 7–2, and losing Game 2, 9–8 in eight innings.
GAME ONE | Bluffton 2 – MSJ 7
Bluffton came out strong, plating two runs in the top of the first to take an early 2–0 lead. The Mount responded in the bottom half of the inning, scoring three runs to regain the lead at 3–2.
Shelby Rakosky led off the inning for the Lions with a single to center field, and Avery Wiltermood followed with a double down the left-field line, scoring Rakosky. The next batter, Courtney Hankenhoff, drove in a run with a groundout to tie the game at 2–2. The Mount added its third run of the inning when Calli Fletcher hit a two-out RBI single to right field, scoring Mackinley Lawson, who had walked.
Both teams were quiet over the next couple of innings until the Mount added another run in the bottom of the fourth off a Beavers error, extending the lead to 4–2. In the bottom of the fifth, the Lions added three more runs on four hits, all with two outs. Kayla Bain singled through the right side, scoring Natali McGuire, who walked, and Calli Fletcher, who had singled up the middle. The next batter, Shelby Rakosky, singled to center field, scoring Skylar Fletcher and giving the Mount a 7–2 lead.
Bluffton did not threaten in the sixth or seventh innings as the Lions went on to win 7–2. Lesleigh Reimers earned the victory in relief, pitching 6.2 innings while allowing just one hit to improve her record to 7–3 on the season.
Shelby Rakosky went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Avery Wiltermood had an RBI double, Calli Fletcher went 2-for-3 with an RBI, Skylar Fletcher went 2-for-2 with a walk, and Kayla Bain went 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
GAME TWO | Bluffton 9 – MSJ 8 (8 innings)
In Game 2, the Mount continued its momentum from Game 1, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. Shelby Rakosky led off with a single up the middle and later scored on a wild pitch. Mollie Sharp added an RBI groundout to give the Mount an early 2–0 lead.
In the bottom of the third, the Lions plated three more runs on five hits. Mollie Sharp doubled to left field, scoring Avery Wiltermood, who had also doubled. Kayla Bain singled to center field, scoring Sharp. Calli Fletcher followed with a single up the middle, scoring Sydney Doyle and extending the lead to 5–0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Sharp doubled again—this time to left-center—scoring Shelby Rakosky and making the score 6–0.
The Beavers plated four runs across the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game at 8–8 and force extra innings. In extras, both teams began with a runner on second base. Bluffton was able to score its runner, while the Mount could not, falling 9–8 in Game 2.
Avery Wiltermood went 2-for-4 with a double, Mollie Sharp went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs, and a walk, Kayla Bain went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, and Skylar Fletcher recorded a triple.
UP NEXT: The Lions will continue HCAC play as they host Manchester University on Saturday, April 18. Game 1 is scheduled for 1:00 p.m., with Game 2 to follow at approximately 3:00 p.m.
