SIOUX FALLS, SD - Devyn Ritz had a remarkable day at the plate for UMary Softball in a pair of heartbreaking one-run losses, both 5-6 finals against the University of Sioux Falls. The senior slugger from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada finished the day with four hits, two home runs, and seven runs batted in to pace the Marauders offensively. 

GAME ONE
A 7th-inning rally ended one run shy for the Marauders (5-30, 0-16) as they fell 5-6 to the Cougars (18-17, 9-7 NSIC) in game one. 

Trailing 1-0 in the third, the Marauders knotted the game up as Kaylee Kannegiesser drove Brooke De Jonge home on a sacrifice fly. In the next at-bat, Devyn Ritz crushed a two-run homer to also score Brooke McClure and put UMary ahead 3-1. 

Rylie Jones tied the game back up for the Cougars with an RBI double in the third, and another big inning in the fourth would be capped by a home run from Kennedy Thomas for a 6-3 USF lead. 

The Marauders would not yield as Ritz brought home her third RBI of the game on an RBI single to left scoring De Jonge. Janelle Bergmann would score McClure in the next at-bat on an RBI groundout, but Kait Van Der Zwaag slammed the door shut on a strikeout to end the rally and the game 6-5. 

Van Der Zwaag earned the win with three strikeouts, four earned runs, seven hits, and a walk. Nicole Eckhardt earned the loss. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Devyn Ritz | 2-4, 3 RBIs, HR, R
Brooke McClure | 2-4, 2 R
Brooke De Jonge | 2-3, 2 R
Janelle Bergmann | 1-4, RBI
Madison Wszolek | 1-2, BB
Morgan Diedrich | 1-3

GAME TWO
The Marauders fell 5-6 to the Cougars with the tying run left stranded on second base in the nightcap. 

The Cougars capitalized on three RBI doubles for a 4-0 lead by the end of the fourth inning. Devyn Ritz answered by belting her third home run of the season for a solo shot in the sixth. 

Kennedy Thomas continued her hot day at the plate with two more runs batted in on a double in the sixth. 

Trailing 6-1 entering the final frame, Kaylee Kannegiesser ripped an RBI single to center with the bases loaded. Two batters later, Ritz cleared the bases planting a three-RBI double on the warning track in left field. Hanna Cress halted the momentum like in the first game with one final strikeout, ending the game once again 6-5. 

Cress earned her third win of the season for the Cougars. Emari Evans pitched hard but was charged with the loss. 

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Devyn Ritz | 2-4, 4 RBIs, HR, 2B, R
Brooke De Jonge | 2-3, R
Madison Wszolek | 2-4
Kaylee Kannegiesser | 1-3, RBI, R
Brooke McClure | 1-3, R, BB

UP NEXT
UMary Softball will head to Bemidji, MN for their third NSIC doubleheader in three days on Tuesday against Bemidji State (16-18, 5-7 NSIC). The Marauders and Beavers will take the BSU Softball Field for first pitches at 1 and 3 pm. 

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