ST. JOSEPH, MO – Senior
Lex Hubbard cracked a game-winning home run and sophomores
Taylor Lara and
Brieann Backes combined for a shutout as the University of Mary split a pair of games on day two of the Hy-Vee Classic. The Marauders blanked Pittsburgh State 1-0 in game one before dropping a 2-1 decision to the University of Nebraska Kearney.
Coming off of allowing one run in seven innings the day before, Lara was even more stingy in the day two opener of the Hy-Vee Classic. Despite living dangerously, the sophomore kept stringing together scoreless inning after scoreless inning.
After Lara allowed a leadoff single in the third, the first hit she allowed of the day, the Marauders turned a 1-4-3 double play to eliminate the threat.
Pitt State kept up the pressure, registering leadoff singles in the fourth and fifth innings also. The Gorillas grouped three hits in the fourth with one of the baserunners eliminated on a stolen base attempt by catcher
Amber Gamboa. In the fifth, after two hits and two runners in scoring position, Lara ended the threat with a strikeout. Pitt State had a one-out single in the sixth but couldn't advance a runner beyond second base.
Held without a baserunner until
Rebekkah Keller singled with one out in the fourth and a walk to
Keegan Wickman in the fifth, Hubbard gave the Marauders the jolt they were waiting for in the sixth.
Hitting at the bottom of the order, Hubbard led off the bottom of the sixth inning with her first home run of the season for the lone run of the game. It was just her second career home run.
With a single by
Madison McGonigal, a walk and a hit batter loading the bases, Mary was unable to capitalize and extend their lead.
Trying to protect their one-run lead, a Pitt State single to start the seventh inning brought a pitching change for Mary. Backes immediately produced back-to-back ground balls to force runners at second before walking a batter. With two outs and two on, Backes registered her first save of the season by inducing a ground ball back to her for the final out,
Lara threw six scoreless innings, allowing eight hits and walking one while striking out three hitters. Backes allowed just a walk in her lone inning.
Three different Marauders had a hit apiece in the game.
Van Hoosen led PSU with two hits. Bree Cornett allowed just three hits and one walk in five innings, striking out three.
The nightcap also provided chills right to the end.
The Marauders scored first once again, although this time it was the bottom of the first inning. Following a 1-out single by Keller, Mendez drove a run-scoring double to right center.
The Lopers took the lead for the first time in the third inning. After Kaela Samek reached on an error and scored on a Macey Nelson double, UNK took the lead when Molly Stern doubled home Nelson for a 2-1 lead.
The Mary hurlers kept Nebraska Kearney at bay the rest of the game. Freshman
Madison Jahner allowed just five hits and two walks while striking out one.
Taylor Lara added another shutout inning on the day before Backes closed the game with a strikeout.
Needing just a single run to tie the game, the Marauders produced baserunners in each of the subsequent four innings. Mary left two runners on base in the third, advanced a runner to third base in the fourth after a double by Gamboa. Unable to create runs after singles in the fifth and sixth, Mary went down in order in the seventh inning to close out the 2-1 loss.
Keller finished 2-for-2 and four other Marauders had hits. Mendez had the Marauders only RBI.
In four games, the Marauders pitches and defense have only allowed opposing runs to score in a combined four innings.
Nelson led PSU with two hits. Meg Householder gave up six hits and one run with four strikeouts in a seven-inning complete game.
Mary closes out the Hy-Vee Classic with game against Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State on Sunday, March 17.
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