LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Day two of the MSU-Billings Desert Stinger turned into a more difficult affair for the University of Mary Softball team, as they stumbled a bit and eventually lost to both Notre Dame de Namur University and Simon Fraser University.
 
The Marauders (2-3) took on NDNU in the mid-afternoon game and kept the game close early on but the Argonauts poured the runs on later in the game to hand U-Mary their second loss of season.
 
The Argonauts got an RBI single in the first inning but a stout defense kept the damage to a minimum as only one run scored with two runners on base, putting U-Mary in a 1-0 hole after the first.
 
Notre Dame de Namur added another run in the second inning after a groundout to the third baseman developed into a throwing error by the first baseman, giving the Argonauts a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the second.
 
The Marauders finally got on the board at their turn at-bat in the bottom of the second when Julissa Perales had a hot shot to the shortstop and Taylor Mendez made it home off the resulting throwing error.
 
Unfortunately things started to go south for U-Mary starting in the fourth inning as the leadoff Argonaut sent a screamer down the left field line and over the wall, extending Notre Dame de Namur's lead to 3-1. After a walk, back-to-back doubles from the Argonauts pushed the lead to 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth, where the Marauders rally was ended by a double play.
 
The Argonauts padded their lead in the top of the fifth inning, after some miscommunication from the Marauders allowed a run to score off a throwing error for the first run and a single that beat out the throw from the shortstop scored the second run for Notre Dame de Namur, putting the score at 7-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
 
Kristin Ormsby tried to kick off a rally after she homered in her at bat, cutting into the Argonaut lead at 7-2. After a pitch hit Nena Dudley and Nicole O'Haver reached on an error, Alana Norman sent a ground ball up the middle, scoring Dudley and inching the Marauders closer at 7-3. The rally was cut short, however, and the Marauders were running out of time to regain the lead.
 
The top of the sixth ended without any runs from the Argonauts and the Marauders came into the bottom of the sixth looking for a chance to tie the game. Mendez was pegged by a pitch and advanced to second after Perales lined out to the third baseman and, in an attempt to double up on Mendez, threw the ball away. Colleen Crutchfield's time on the bases was productive as she doubled to left center, scoring Mendez, and crossed the plate after Dudley sent a single to right center. Again, the rally was cut short but the Marauders kept chipping away at the lead and were only down 7-5 heading into the final inning.
 
The seventh inning saw little action though, as the Argonauts struck out, grounded out, then struck out to end their half of the inning, but the Marauders couldn't find the rally monkey as Norman singled up the middle but was stranded at first after the next three Marauders all got out, ending the game and making the score 7-5 final.
 
The night game against Simon Fraser was somewhat similar to the NDNU game for U-Mary, instead this time the Marauders got on the board in the top of the first after Norman singled and stole both second and third in the next at bat. She scored after Amber Gamboa grounded out to second base but the ball was deep enough for Norman to cross the plate without much difficulty.
 
Simon Fraser wasn't deterred, however, as they opened up the scoring in the bottom half of the first inning as the Marauders were cursed by errors. The Clan got their first run off an error from the shortstop, got two more from a double to right field, and got their fourth off a wild pitch, making the score 4-1 after one inning.
 
U-Mary tried to keep the momentum going but couldn't gain ground in the top of the second, and the Clan added to their lead after a leadoff homerun followed by two runs off another error made the score 7-1 through two.
 
Simon Fraser got one more in the bottom of the third after a run was scored off a passed ball and the Marauders made up for it in the top of the fourth after Perales had a two-run homerun to finally cut into the Clan's lead, 8-3.
 
U-Mary cut into the lead again in the top of the fifth after Dudley sent a groundball to the third baseman, but scored Alexandra McDermott. Gamboa came up to bat next and sent a single down the right field line and scored Norman, closing in on the Clan at 8-5 after five.
 
The Marauders had another rally opportunity in the top of the sixth after Ormsby had a one-out double to left field, Demaree Rodriguez walked, and McDermott singled up the middle but not deep enough to score anyone. After a strikeout, Dudley came up to bat and came through with a hard shot to the shortstop, beating out the throw and scoring Ormsby. Unfortunately the rally was cut short after Gamboa's groundball was snagged by the first baseman and ended the inning, but the Marauders were building the comeback at 8-6 going into the bottom of the sixth.
 
Simon Fraser got an insurance run in the bottom half of the sixth off an RBI double and U-Mary went into the top of the final inning looking for a chance to tie the game up. Sadly, the Marauders couldn't get the rally started as they were out in order in the top of the seventh, making the score 9-6 final.
 
Overall on the day, Norman finished 4-of-8 with two runs, one RBI, and two stolen bases. Dudley built on the previous day and finished 2-of-6 with one run and three RBI. Ormsby brought the power, as she was 2-of-5 with one homerun, one double, two runs and one RBI. Perales continued to show why she was first team All-NSIC as she was 2-of-7 with one homerun, one run, and two RBI.
 
The Marauders will have one more game in the Desert Stinger today against California State University, San Bernardino, starting at 4 p.m.
 
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