Box Scores - Game 1, Game 2
FOND DU LAC, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – Solid pitching and timely hitting led the Marian University softball team to a doubleheader sweep over the visiting MSOE Raiders in Northern Athletics Conference action at Smith Fields this evening, April 24.
Marian outscored MSOE 14-1 and out-hit their counterpart 21-11 in a much-needed conference sweep to maintain a hold of sixth place in the league standings.
Liz Schaller was a combined 6-for-8 with three RBIs and a run scored.
Emilie Jansen went 2-for-3 in game two and added an exclamation point with a bases-clearing three-run triple in a six-run sixth inning.
The Sabres improve to 16-16 overall, 11-7 in the NAC while MSOE falls to 6-29 (3-15 NAC).
In game one, Marian starter
Brooke Koechell held the visiting Raider offensive attack at bay, allowing just a run on six hits.
Liz Schaller went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Sabres, while
Molly Sippel,
Ariel O'Neill and
Daniele Gerth each turned in multi-hit games as well.
The Sabres took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning when O'Neill and Schaller each drove in a run. Two errors led to the second run being unearned after the shortstop mishandled a ground ball that allowed
Nikki Ponticelli to score.
MSOE scored its only run in the top of the fourth when Sara Altene doubled to left field before the next batter, Julie Windish tripled to right-center field to bring her home to make it 2-1.
The Sabres would get that run back in their half of the fourth when Schaller singled home her second run of the game in the form of O'Neill, who reached on a single to right to lead off the inning.
Marian then salted the game away with a three-run fifth inning, highlighted by Gerth's runs-scoring single to right to make it 6-1.
In game two,
Cherise Waltz picked up her fourth complete game shutout of the year, scattering just five hits while striking out three and walking one.
The Sabres and Raiders played the first three innings scoreless before Marian finally broke through with a two runs in the fourth with a Schaller RBI single to right and an
Aubrey O'Brien sacrifice fly.
The Raiders then threatened with a rally of their own in the top of the fifth. With two outs and runners on second and third, Annie Thomas lined a pitch to right field, but Ponticelli made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning.
In the sixth, the first seven Sabres reached base and six runs crossed to force a run-rule victory in six innings.
Courtney Krueger doubled down the right-field line to score two runs before Schaller drove another in. With the bases loaded,
Emilie Jansen added to her league-leading RBI total with a bases-clearing triple to make the score 6-0. Later on Jansen scored the final tally on a wild pitch to end the game.
The Sabres will be back in action tomorrow night, taking on Edgewood College in a road doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. in Madison.
