Belles Buckle Down to Sweep Bulldogs

Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

• Jamie Young was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run, a stolen base, and an RBI as she took over the top spot in program history for career runs scored.
• Emma Conroy went 2-for-2 with a double, a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI in game two.
• Morgan Raymer earned the game-one win and a save in game two while Jessica Alberts picked up the win in game two.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The Saint Mary's softball team took a pair of wins over conference foe Adrian on Sunday afternoon by 3-2 and 7-2 scores.

Game one saw the Belles gain a 2-0 lead through the first inning of play. Jamie Young drew a lead-off walk, and Kelsey Keilman beat out a bunt single to put runners on the corners. Keilman then stole second base to put two runners in scoring position. Makenzie Duncan grounded out to drive in Jamie Young while Keilman moved to third on the play. That same run moved Young into the top spot in program history for career runs scored. Cassie Young then lifted a deep fly ball to center field. The fly ball was caught, but the out went down as a sacrifice as Keilman easily scored from third on the play for the two-run advantage. Sydney Swartz drew a walk, and Madelynne Keller and Kelsey Richards each singled to load the bases with two outs. The Belles, however, were unable to inflict any further damage after one complete inning.

Morgan Raymer and the Belles retired the next ten Bulldog batters in a row as Saint Mary's held the 2-0 lead with an out gone in the fifth inning. Adrian had a bunt single and an error to put two runners on base. A single to center field then plated both runners as the potential go-ahead run moved to second on the throw to the plate. Raymer wrung up a strike out swinging, and Kelsey Keilman made a catch in left field to end the threat.

Saint Mary's left runners in scoring position in both the third and fourth innings. In the bottom of the fifth, the Belles were poised to regain the lead after Makenzie Duncan led off with a single down the left field line before moving to second on sacrifice bunt by Cassie Young. A pair of infield outs, however, closed the door on the chance as the game moved ahead.

The Bulldogs drew a one-out walk in the top of the sixth inning. Kelsey Keilman corralled another out in left field, and JoAnna Keilman gunned down the base runner trying to steal second to end the inning. The Belles then took advantage of an Adrian miscue in the bottom half of the inning. Megan Knudsen was hit by the first pitch she saw of her pinch-hit plate appearance with one out. Alyssa Gutierrez reached safely on an error by the second baseman as Knudsen moved all the way to third. Jamie Young then drove in Knudsen with an infield ground out to put the Belles up 3-2. Raymer then shut the door on the Bulldogs in the top of the seventh as the senior pitcher recorded a strikeout before collecting a pop up at the front of the pitching circle and an over-the-shoulder basket catch near the back of the pitching circle to end the game.

Jamie Young was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run, a stolen base, and an RBI. Cassie Young was 1-for-1 with an RBI and two sacrifices. Makenzie Duncan added a 1-for-3 effort in the opener with an RBI, and Kelsey Keilman was 1-for-4 with a run and a stolen base.

Morgan Raymer had the complete-game victory in the circle after allowing one earned run on three hits with five strikeouts and a walk.

The Belles opened the second game with a run in the first and one in the third for a quick lead over the Bulldogs. Jamie Young was hit by a pitch to begin the game. Two batters later, she scored from first after Cassie Young lofted a double over the center fielder for a 1-0 advantage. Two innings later, Jamie Young started the third frame with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. Kelsey Keilman drew a walk of her own to put a pair on base. Makenzie Ducan dropped a single into center field, allowing Young to score for the 2-0 lead.

Defensively, the Belles continued to flash the leather. In the bottom of the third, Kelsey Keilman tracked down a long fly ball to left field to make a highlight-reel catch at the warning track. In the bottom of the fourth, it was Jamie Young who added to the top play list with a diving catch up the middle as Jessica Alberts retired the first 12 batters she faced with the help of her defense.

The Belles had a big inning offensively in the top of the fifth. Makenzie Duncan hit a one-out triple down the right field line, and Cassie Young drove in Duncan with a single to right-center field on the next pitch. Emma Conroy came in to hit and catch, and the junior dropped a triple onto the warning track in the far-right corner of the field to push Young across. Two batters later, Kelsey Richards delivered a soft line-drive single to right-center field to push the lead to 5-0.

The Bulldogs broke up the perfect game in the bottom of the fifth as the Belles committed an error on the defensive end. Two batters later, the no-hit bid for Alberts was also nullified with a single up the middle. The Bulldogs then hit a two-out single to right field to make it a 5-2 game. Alberts ended the inning with a strikeout looking.

Saint Mary's regained a five-run lead in the top of the seventh inning. Emma Conroy hit a double down the left field line, and Megan Knudsen singled to left-center to put runners on the corners. Jill Ackermann drew a one-out walk to load the bases, and Alison Alberts drew a walk to drive in Conroy. Jamie Young then hit a sacrifice fly to deep center field, which allowed Knudsen to score from third to make it a 7-2 score.

A three-up, three-down seventh inning was highlighted by yet another highlight-reel defensive play. Jamie Young made a sliding catch in foul territory just in front of the fence to give the Belles two outs in the inning. Kelsey Keilman capped off the win with a routine fly out for the 7-2 victory.

Emma Conroy went 2-for-2 with a double, a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI. Cassie Young added a 2-for-4 effort with a double, two RBI, and a run. Makenzie Duncan was 2-for-4 with a triple, a stolen base, a run, and an RBI.

Jessica Alberts earned her 10th pitching win of the season after going five complete innings in the circle. The senior struck out five and did not allow a walk while scattering two hits with two unearned runs. Morgan Raymer picked up her second save of the season after closing out the final two innings of play with a strike out and no runs. In the two games combined, the Belles did not allow an extra-base hit.

The Belles (22-2, 4-0 MIAA) have a quick turnaround as they host Calvin on Monday at 3:30 p.m. for a doubleheader which has twice been rescheduled due to weather.