LEESBURG, FL – While the scores were identical in a pair of wins by the University of Mary softball team, how they arrived at those results was certainly varied. The Marauders used speed, clutch pitching and defense to defeat Saint Anselm 3-0 in the opener while the 3-0 victory over Nyack was a power play for UMary.
 
Single runs in three of the first four innings was all the University of Mary softball team and pitcher Brieann Backes needed in a 3-0 win over Saint Anselm to start the day. It was the second straight complete game win for the junior hurler.
 
Throwing her first shutout of the season, Backes scattered eight hits over seven innings. She also walked three, hit a batter and struck out four while stranding 13 Hawks in the game.
 
Living with risk all game, the Minot, ND, native left the bases full of Hawks in the opening inning by ending the rally with a strikeout. Backes then stranded a pair of Saint Anselm runners in each of the second, third, fourth and sixth innings. Unable to throw any clean innings, she left single runners aboard in the fifth and seventh innings.
 
Rebekkah Keller and Paige Matsuki teamed up for two of the Marauders runs. Keller walked to lead off the top of the first inning, stole second, was bunted to third and scored on a groundout by Matsuki for a 1-0 lead.
 
In the fourth inning, Keller singled with one out and again stole second before scoring on a Matsuki double for a 3-0 UMary lead.
 
Kylie Alto doubled home Colleen Crutchfield for the Marauders middle run in the third.
 
Keller finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. Matsuki posted two doubles and two RBIs. Madison McGonigal had two hits.
 
Amanda Bickford led the Hawks with three hits.
 
As in the opener, the Marauders spread out their runs in the second game, scoring in even-numbered innings.
 
UMary scored first against Nyack when Alto cracked a 1-out solo home run. It was the only run UMary needed in the game. The Marauders doubled their advantage in the fourth when Emma Noble homered to lead off the inning.
 
The Marauders closed the scoring in the sixth when Rachael Laetsch doubled to drive in Noble, who reached on an error to start the inning. Laetsch finished the game with two hits and an RBI and Noble scored twice.
 
Freshman Sarah Thomson posted a dominant performance in the circle. She struck out seven Warriors and allowed just five hits while issuing no walks. The first collegiate victory and shutout for Thomson, she had stretches where she sat down a string of seven straight hitters at one point and six consecutive hitters during another.
 
The Marauders face Assumption College and Nyack again on Tuesday, March 6, which is day three of their Florida trip.
 
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