BISMARCK, N.D. - A pitching gem from MeLanie Rodriguez powered the University of Mary Softball team in game one this afternoon against Minnesota State University Moorhead, but the visitors were determined to force a split as they took the backend on the heels of a sixth-inning rally on the midweek doubleheader.
 
Rodriguez went the distance in the first game for the Marauders (8-22, 2-9 NSIC), scattering six hits over seven innings and striking out four en route to the 4-1 win over the Dragons (9-19, 2-10 NSIC), but five runs late in the game ensured U-Mary would not get the sweep as MSU Moorhead took game two at 6-5.
 
GAME ONE
 
Both pitchers came out firing as the Dragons were retired in order through the first two innings while Alana Norman was stranded at second after her leadoff walk in the bottom of the first and Colleen Crutchfield never made it past first base from her single in the second for a scoreless contest heading into the third.
 
MSU Moorhead broke though on the scoreboard in the top of the third after Morgan Anderson drove an 0-2 pitch out to left field for a single and ended up at third on Megan Asham's double to left center for runners at second and third with one out.
 
After a groundball from Carly Williamson for the second out, the Dragons got their run on Taylor Roddie's single to left field that brought in Anderson, but a strong throw from Alexandra McDermott retired Asham at the plate to keep the score at 1-0 heading into the bottom of the third.
 
The Marauders went down in order in the bottom half of the inning but finally struck back in the fourth after Amber Gamboa drew a one-out walk on four straight pitches and ended up at third on Taylor Mendez's single to right field.
 
Freshman Kylie Alto came through in the following at bat as she tripled to right center on the 1-0 pitch from Morgan Nybo to score Gamboa and Mendez for a 2-0 U-Mary lead going into the fifth.
 
Rodriguez took over from there as she allowed only two Dragon runners through the remainder of the contest, while Crutchfield bought some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth when her towering fly ball to left field sailed over the fence for a two-run jack and a 4-1 lead, allowing her pitcher to seal the deal in the seventh with a fly out, pop out, and strike out to secure the win for the Marauders in game one.
 
Crutchfield finished with two hits in the contest, adding a single to her home run, with two RBIs, one run and one stolen base in the contest.
 
Alto added a single to her triple in three at bats to go with her two RBIs, one run and one stolen base; while Norman added two stolen bases in the game to extend her NCAA-era U-Mary career steals mark.
 
GAME TWO
 
The second half of the doubleheader appeared to be in U-Mary's favor despite MSU Moorhead getting held from a defensive miscue in the top of the first as Kristen Nordby singled to right field, advance to third on an error, and scored on a wild pitch during Kristy Bruni's at bat for an early 1-0 Dragon lead.
 
Thankfully, starting pitcher Brieann Backes settled into a grove and the Marauders got the run back in the bottom of the second as Mendez led off with a single to center field, stole second, advanced to third on a groundball from Alto, and scored on Crutchfield's groundball to knot the score at 1-1 heading into the third.
 
U-Mary move three more across the plate in the bottom of the fourth as Shawnee Zink led the inning off with a walk after an eight-pitch battle and scored on Gamboa's triple to right center for a 2-1 Marauder lead, while Crutchfield blasted her second two-run shot with two outs over the left field fence to put the score at 4-1 in favor of the home team going into the fifth.
 
Unfortunately, the wheels came off the bus in the top of the sixth starting with Lauren Meeker's double to right field to score Bruni from first base, followed up with a single from Anderson to score Meeker and Jill Fox to tie the score at 4-4. The Dragons weren't done with their rally, however, as Carly Williamson tripled to left center on the 1-1 count to score Anderson and Aunica Novacek for a 6-4 MSU Moorhead lead going into the bottom of the inning.
 
U-Mary couldn't cut into the deficit in the bottom of the sixth despite Crutchfield's double to left field with one out, but a scoreless seventh from Taylor Lara in relief kept the score at 6-4 for the last at bat.
 
In an odd twist of event where most teams tend to have a distinct home field advantage, Demaree Rodriguez drove a 1-1 pitch on a rope out to left field and the resulting line drive caromed off the top of the fence and stayed in the field of play, relegating the Marauder to a double on what should have been a home run as the ball noticeably ricocheted in the opposite direction it was originally traveling.
 
Luckily, Rodriguez advanced to third on Zink's single through the left side and ended up scoring on Gamboa's sacrifice fly to centerfield to inch U-Mary closer on the scoreboard at 6-5 with two outs in the inning.
 
Representing the winning run, Mendez strode to the plate but was robbed of the opportunity to end the game with one swing of the bat as she was plunked on the second pitch of the at bat, bringing up Alto with two runners on and two out.
 
Alas, the Marauders couldn't complete the comeback as Alto grounded into the final out, finalizing the score at 6-5 and preserving the split on the afternoon.
 
Crutchfield finished with her second multi-hit game of the day as she had a double and home run to go with three RBI, one run scored, and was again flawless behind the plate with four putouts and one assist.
 
Norman padded her team-leading hit count with three singles in the contest to go with one stolen base; while Gamboa finished with a triple, two RBIs, one run and a walk to complement Demaree Rodriguez's double and one run.
 
Backes took the loss with 5.2 innings pitched, allowed seven hits, six runs and struck out three; while Lara finished with no runs allowed in 1.1 innings pitched to go with one strikeout.
 
The Marauders will continue their homestand on Saturday, April 9, when they take on Upper Iowa University starting at 1 PM.
 
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