Box Score KOKOMO, Indiana - The Mount St. Joseph softball team opened the 2026 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship on Thursday, They squared off with the #3 seed the Transylvania Pioneers in the final game of day one.
The game opened with a Transylvania base-hit, and after a pair of wild pitches the game entered a 51minute rain delay. When the game started back up the Pioneers scored one run but
Clare Lopeman was able to limit them to just the one run. The Pioneers scored another in the second, in the third
Lesleigh Reimers came on to relieve Lopeman. Transylvania score two in the third on a two-run homer to push their lead to 4-0.
The Lions finally got on the board in the bottom of the third inning,
Alayna Flynn led off with a basehit,
Shelby Rakosky and
Avery Wiltermood both followed with RBI doubles to get the Lions on the board. They would continue to threaten in the inning but were unable to push any more runs across.
Transylvania would score three more times in the top of the fourth, Reimers was relieved with one out in the inning as
Mollie Sharp headed to the circle. Reimers was credited with one of the runs while Sharp surrendered the other two.
In the bottom of the inning the Mount loaded the bases with only one out, they scored one on a Rakosky groundout. They would strand a pair and head to the fifth traling 7-3.
In the top of the fifth inning Transy got the run back. After loading the bases with no outs against Sharp, Courtney Hankenhof was called on to pitch. The first batter she faced lined out to WIltermood who narrowly missed out on a double-play on a diving attempt at second base, but Transy was able to score a run on the play. Hankenhof was able to limit the damage as she only allowed a single run to score in the frame.
The Mount would not go away though, they answered back immediately with a pair in the bottom of the fifth.
Mackinley Lawson led off with a basehit, and Sharp reached on a fielder's choice that Transylvania commmitted an error on. An out later Natalie McGuire drilled a two-run double into right center to draw the Lions within three.
Transy continued to play add on in the top of the sixth, drilling their second two-run homer of the game. The Lions would threaten in the bottom of the sixth but an inning ending double-play to end the inning.
The top of the seventh was the first time all game the Pioneers were unable to score as
Izzie Carroll pitched around a no-out bases loaded jam. The Lions were retired in order in their half of the seventh, with Transy securing the 10-5 win.
UP NEXT: The Lions will be back on the field in the HCAC Championship tomorrow against Franklin at 12:30 PM.
