MOORHEAD, MN - A near upset and a game thwarted by errors defined the University of Mary Softball team's 6-8 and 1-10 losses Wednesday to MSU Moorhead, the first-place team in the Northern Sun softball standings.
Brooke McClure finished the day with three total hits out of the leadoff spot and
Sariah Perez added three RBIs and a hit in each game. Perez and
Madison Wszolek both homered in the first game.
GAME ONE
A major upset bid slipped away from the Marauders (5-26, 0-12 NSIC) in the first game Wednesday as they fell 6-8 late to the Dragons (23-7, 11-1 NSIC). UMary retook a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning before MSUM rallied to 5 runs in the sixth to retake a commanding lead.
The Marauders opened the scoring in the second as
Madison Wszolek blasted her second home run of the season on a solo shot to left-center. Three batters later,
Mckenzie Reinhardt sent a frozen rope to the right-center gap scoring
Devyn Ritz from first.
Tied up 2-2 in the fourth, Wszolek doubled, stole third, and took home on a throwing error by the catcher.
Brooke McClure would score on an error later in the fifth to break another tie 4-3.
With bases loaded, Evey Evans gave the Dragons back the lead with a 2-RBI single, as well as the momentum as the Dragons rallied off three more runs for an 8-4 score.
Sariah Perez got the Marauders back within reach in the 7th, belting a 2-run home run with two down. The Dragons recorded the final out a batter later for the 8-6 win.
Avery Steffen earned the win in relief, striking out three in 2.0 innings and only giving up one unearned run.
Nicole Eckhardt started and gave the Marauders 6.1 strong innings of pitching, striking out three, walking two, and giving up just three runs in the ballgame.
Jamison Ness was tagged with the loss.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Madison Wszolek | 2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, HR, 2B, SB
Brooke McClure | 2-4, R, 2B
Sariah Perez | 1-4, 2 RBIs, HR
Devyn Ritz | 1-1, R, 2 BB, SB
Mckenzie Reinhardt | 1-3, RBI, 2B
GAME TWO
A fast start by the Dragons and five errors in the field hindered the Marauders in a 10-1 game two defeat.
The Dragons controlled the game with a much faster start plating five runs in the first two innings.
Sariah Perez sent a line drive screaming over the third baseman into left to score Reinhardt in the third inning, making the score 5-1.
MSUM answered with five more runs spread over the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, extending their lead to 10-1. Apart from the Dragons ten base hits, the Marauders committed five errors in the field.
The Marauders were retired in four batters in the 6th to end the game 10-1. Kaelyn Leverson was the winning pitcher for the Dragons going 2.1 innings with only one earned run on three hits and one walk.
Emari Evans was hit with the loss.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Sariah Perez | 1-3, RBI
Mckenzie Reinhardt | 1-2, R
Francesca Villaneda | 1-2, 2B, BB
Devyn Ritz | 1-2, 2B, BB
Brooke McClure | 1-2
UP NEXT
UMary Softball will head east again this weekend for a pair of series with the University of Sioux Falls (15-6, 6-6 NSIC) and Southwest Minnesota State University (8-23, 3-9 NSIC) on April 15-16. The Marauders will play the Cougars Saturday at 1 and 3 pm from Sioux Falls, SD, and then the Mustangs on Sunday at noon and 2 pm from Marshall, MN.
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