MINOT, ND – The University of Mary softball team opened the 2026 season with a split in a doubleheader against Black Hills State University. The Marauders won the first matchup 6-4 before falling 11-5 in game two. Arria Johnson led the way in game one, pitching a complete game to earn their first win of the season for UMary.
The Marauders returns to the Minot State University Dome in Minot, ND, to challenge Montana State University Billings in a doubleheader on Saturday, January 31, at noon.
GAME 1 University of Mary 6 Black Hills State 4
Ariana Retuta opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when she smacked a single through the right side to score Kaitlyn McLaughlin. Retuta would come home to score on a wild pitch to make it a 2-0 ball game.
The Marauders extended their lead to 5-0 in the second inning. A bases-loaded walk by McLaughlin saw Bree Waldron come around to score. Cassidy Bagnell scored after an error by the BHSU third baseman. Daisy Sparrow drew a walk with the bases loaded, scoring Retuta.
The Yellow Jackets would slowly chip away at the UMary lead. BHSU scored four runs over the next four innings to make it a 5-4 game. The Marauders received a much-needed insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jenel Mallari came home after Janelle Bergmann reached on a fielder's choice.
Arria Johnson would finish the complete game emphatically, striking out Audrey Fouras to end the game. Johnson threw seven innings and allowed four runs while striking out two batters.
UMary posted three hits and nine walks, while BHSU had eight hits and six walks.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Ariana Retuta went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Daisy Sparrow went 1-for-3 with one walk, one RBI, and one run scored.
Bree Waldron went 1-for-3 with one double and one run scored.
Kaitlyn McLaughlin went 0-2 with two walks, one RBI, and one run scored.
Francesca Villaneda went 0-1 with two walks.
Jenel Mallari went 0-1 with two walks and one run scored.
GAME 2 Black Hills State 11 University of Mary 5
The Marauders fell behind 4-0 after the first two innings. UMary got on the board in the top of the third inning after Jenel Mallari came home to score on a fielder's choice hit by Ariana Retuta. Bree Waldron would then draw a bases-loaded walk to score Kaitlyn McLaughlin. Janelle Bergman made it a 4-3 ball game when she smacked a sac fly to center field, scoring Retuta.
The Yellow Jackets responded with a four-run inning in the bottom of the third to extend their lead to 8-3. Genevieve Hastings would get the Marauders back on track in the fourth inning, smashing her first home run of the season over the left field wall. BHSU grabbed another run in the bottom of the fifth.
UMary loaded the bases in the sixth inning with one out. Madison Hunter would earn a walk to score Hastings and cut the lead to 9-5. The Marauders failed to add any more runs in the inning. The Yellow Jackets grabbed two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and shut down UMary in the seventh to win 11-5.
UMary posted six hits and five walks, while BHSU had 12 hits and four walks.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Genevieve Hastings went 2-for-4 with one HR, two runs scored, and one RBI.
Kaitlyn McLaughlin went 2-for-4 with one triple and one run scored.
Jenel Mallari went 1-for-3 with one run scored.
Olivia Gomez went 1-for-2 with one walk.
Bree Waldron went 0-for-2 with two walks and one RBI.
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