CINCINNATI, OHIO – The Mount St. Joseph University softball team swept its doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the MSJ Softball Complex vs. Manchester University, winning Game 1, 12–1 in five innings, and Game 2, 10–1 in five innings.
GAME ONE | Manchester 1 – MSJ 12
The Lions' bats came out hot, scoring nine runs in the bottom of the first on seven hits. Shelby Rakosky led off the home half with a home run to left field, giving the Mount a 1–0 lead. One batter later, Courtney Hankenhoff also homered to left field, making the lead 2–0. Three batters later, Calli Fletcher singled, scoring Mackinley Lawson, who walked. The next batter, Skylar Fletcher, had a two-RBI single, scoring Sydney Doyle and Natali McGuire and extending the Lions' lead to 5–0. With two outs, Avery Wiltermood cleared the bases with a three-RBI double in the right-center gap. The Mount plated its final run of the inning on a single by Hankenhoff, scoring Wiltermood and giving the Lions a 9–0 lead.
In the top of the second, Manchester plated a run, making the score 9–1. In the bottom of the third, the Mount added three more runs off a two-out double by Sydney Doyle into the left-center gap, scoring Shelby Rakosky, Avery Wiltermood, and Courtney Hankenhoff, who all singled during the inning, giving the Lions a 12–1 lead. The Spartans did not threaten the rest of the way, as the Mount took Game 1, 12–1, in a five-inning run-rule victory.
Shelby Rakosky went 2-for-2 with a walk and a solo home run; Avery Wiltermood went 2-for-3 with a three-RBI double; Courtney Hankenhoff went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a solo home run; and Sydney Doyle went 1-for-2 with a three-RBI double. Clare Lopeman went all five innings for the Lions, allowing one earned run and improving her record to 6–0 on the year.
GAME TWO | Manchester 1 – MSJ 10
In Game 2, Manchester plated a run in the top of the first, taking an early 1–0 lead. The Mount responded with two runs to take a 2–1 lead. Shelby Rakosky led off the bottom of the first with a single and was brought home by Mackinley Lawson, who doubled to left field. Lawson later scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Sydney Doyle.
Four more runs crossed in the bottom of the second on five hits, giving the Lions a 6–1 lead. Shelby Rakosky doubled to right-center, scoring Calli Fletcher, who singled to start the inning. The next batter, Avery Wiltermood, had an RBI groundout to second base, scoring Alayna Flynn, who singled down the left-field line. After a Mackinley Lawson walk, Mollie Sharp and Sydney Doyle hit back-to-back RBI singles, scoring Rakosky and Lawson.
In the bottom of the third, Shelby Rakosky doubled to right-center, scoring Skylar Fletcher, who walked, and the next batter, Avery Wiltermood, plated Rakosky with a single to left field, giving the Mount an 8–1 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Kaitlyn Randle singled to second base, scoring Sydney Doyle, who singled to right field. Courtney Hankenhoff hit a sacrifice fly to right field, plating Kayla Bain, who singled to right field, extending the Lions' lead to 10–1.
After the first inning, the Mount allowed just three hits and no runs the rest of the way, going on to win 10–1 in a five-inning run-rule victory.
Shelby Rakosky went 3-for-4 with two RBI doubles; Avery Wiltermood went 1-for-2 with two RBIs; Mackinley Lawson added an RBI double; Mollie Sharp went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI; Sydney Doyle went 2-for-2 with two RBIs; and Alayna Flynn added two hits. Mollie Sharp earned the win, pitching three innings and striking out two.
UP NEXT: The Lions will continue HCAC play as they travel to Richmond, Indiana, to take on Earlham College on Tuesday, April 21. Game 1 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., with Game 2 to follow at approximately 5:30 p.m.
