Belles Split on Day Three in Florida
Saint Mary's Stories
UMass Boston Box Score - Anderson Box Score
- Zoe Bruni hit her first collegiate home run in the Belles' 10-0 victory this morning.
- Caitlyn Migawa and Jamie Young each collected a pair of hits in the win against UMass Boston.
- Morgan Raymer and Mary Green combined to allow only one earned run in 11 innings of pitching.
CLERMONT, Fla. - The Saint Mary's softball team earned a 10-0 (5 innings) win over UMass Boston before falling 5-1 against Anderson on day three of the Belles' showing in the Spring Games in Florida.
The Belles stormed out to a 4-0 lead through one complete against the Beacons in the opening game of the day. Jamie Young led off the bottom of the first with a double and moved to third on an illegal pitch. She then helped Kelsey Keilman reach first base on a fielder's choice to the second baseman. Keilman stole second, and the pair scored on a double by Makenzie Duncan. Duncan moved up to third on a passed ball as Cassie Young received the free pass to first with a walk. Young stole second while a pair of errors on the play allowed both Duncan to score and Young to advance to third. Caitlyn Migawa then executed a suicide squeeze bunt to drive in Young for the 4-0 lead.
A quick inning on defense saw the Belles get right back up to bat, and the momentum from the first inning carried over into the second as Saint Mary's plated two more runs. Alyssa Gutierrez started off the inning by reaching on an error, and Jamie Young picked up her second hit in as many at bats with a bunt single. Makenzie Duncan loaded the bases after reaching on an error. Cassie Young drove in Gutierrez with a line-out sacrifice fly. Migawa then added her second RBI in as many trips to the dish with a single to center field to give the Belles a 6-0 advantage.
The Belles threatened to extend the lead in the bottom of the third but left a runner in scoring position. In the fourth, Saint Mary's registered four runs on three hits to gain the 10-run lead. Keilman reached first on an error and advancing to second on the play to get into scoring position with one out. Two batters later, Cassie Young laced a single down the left field line and moved to second on the throw as Keilman scored from second. Migawa dropped a single into left field to plate Young for an 8-0 advantage for the Belles. Zoe Bruni then delivered a two-run home run to left field - the first home run of her collegiate career - to balloon the lead to 10-0.
Mary Green came in at the start of the fifth inning and shut the door on any thoughts the Beacons may have had on a comeback by forcing UMass Boston to strand a pair of runners in scoring position. Green allowed just one hit in one inning in the circle. Morgan Raymer picked up her second pitching victory of the season with four innings of shutout work. Raymer scattered three hits - all singles - and struck out three while not walking a batter.
Caitlyn Migawa went 2-for-2 with three RBI, a run scored, and a sacrifice bunt. Zoe Bruni added a 2-for-3 performance at the dish with a two-run home run. Jamie Young had a 2-for-3 effort with two runs scored, and Makenzie Duncan and Cassie Young each drove in two runs while collecting a hit.
Game two saw Anderson University put three unearned runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning as the Belles had trouble generating offense against the Ravens. Cassie Young hit a lead-off single in the second, and Morgan Raymer added a two-out single to put a pair of runners aboard. The two, however, would not advance any further in the Belles' early chance to chip away at the deficit.
Saint Mary's got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning. Jamie Young led off the inning with a single and scored from first on a one-out double by Makenzie Duncan. Cassie Young hit a single to put a pair of runners on, but Duncan was cut down at third on a force out play at third on Caitlyn Migawa's fielder's choice. Zoe Bruni nearly inflicted more damage but had her fly ball caught by the left fielder to end the inning.
The Ravens plated two additional runs in the bottom half of the sixth. The Belles kept within striking distance with a couple of defensive plays - a run-down between third and home and a runner caught attempting to steal - to keep Anderson just to two runs. Saint Mary's put a pair of runners on base in the top of the seventh with two outs gone, but the pair were stranded in the 5-1 final.
Morgan Raymer went the distance in the circle and surrendered one earned run on seven hits with a strike out and a walk. Cassie Young was 2-for-3 in the game. Makenzie Duncan added a double and an RBI. Jamie Young had a hit and scored a run. Raymer collected a hit in three trips to the plate.
The Belles (3-3) return to action on Thursday, March 16 when they take on Wisconsin-Stevens Point and University of Rochester (N.Y.) in Florida.