No. 7 Belles Split with No. 20 Flying Dutch

Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

• Kelsey Keilman led the Belles in game one with a 3-for-4 effort while also scoring twice.
• Sydney Swartz went 2-for-3 in game two with a double, two runs, and two RBI to help lead the offense.
• Morgan Raymer picked up the game-two win in relief as the Belles set a new program record for wins in a season.

HOLLAND, Mich. - The No. 7 (NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll) Saint Mary's softball team bounced back from a 4-3 loss in game one to take an 8-4 win over No. 20 ranked Hope on Thursday afternoon.

The Flying Dutch got on the scoreboard first in game one with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the second inning. The Belles responded right back in the top of the third inning. Jamie Young hit a lead-off double, and Kelsey Keilman singled to center field to put runners on the corners. Keilman stole second base, and Makenzie Duncan drove in Young with a single to center field. Cassie Young then drove in Keilman from third on an infield ground out as Saint Mary's pulled ahead 2-1.

The Saint Mary's defense forced the Flying Dutch into stranding a runner on third in the third inning. The Belles added to their lead in the top of the fifth. Kelsey Keilman started the inning with a single to center field, and Makenzie Duncan hit a triple off the center field fence to plate Keilman for the 3-1 advantage. Cassie Young reached on a fielder's choice as Duncan drew the shortstop's attention away from the out at first. Young then stole second base to put a pair of runners into scoring position, but the Belles were unable to push any additional runs across in the inning.

Hope had a lead-off walk and a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the fifth to quickly put a runner into scoring position. The next Flying Dutch batter was hit by a pitch to put two on base with only one out. Morgan Raymer wrung up the next batter with a strikeout swinging, and Jamie Young ended the inning by collecting a pop up.

Saint Mary's had a chance in sixth to add to the lead. JoAnna Keilman had a long at-bat and fouled off several pitches before drawing a full-count walk. Alyssa Gutierrez's sacrifice bunt attempt sailed over the pitcher, but the Hope hurler was able to pick up the ball and tag out Keilman before she could advance to second base. A two-out single by Kelsey Keilman put a pair of runners on base for Saint Mary's, but the inning came to a close before the Belles could inflict any further damage.

The Flying Dutch made it a 3-2 game in the bottom of the sixth after a one-out single scored a runner from second base. In the bottom of the seventh, Alyssa Gutierrez snagged a line drive for the first out of the inning. The next Hope batter-runner singled to right field. Makenzie Ducan came up firing to try to get the force out, but her throw made it past the base and into foul territory. JoAnna Keilman was backing up the play, collected the ball, and threw out the runner trying to advance to second on the throw for the second out of the inning. Hope, however, kept the inning alive with a hard-hit single to third before taking the game-one win with a two-out, two-run home run to left field. The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak for the Belles, which is the longest in program history.

Kelsey Keilman led the Belles in game one with a 3-for-4 effort while also scoring twice. Makenzie Duncan was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI. Morgan Raymer shouldered the game-one loss after going 6.2 innings with six strikeouts.

Game two saw the Flying Dutch take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The score remained unchanged as the Belles shut the door on Hope scoring chances in the third, fourth, and fifth innings as the Flying Dutch had at least one runner in scoring position in each of those innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, Sydney Swartz led off the inning with the Belles' first hit of the contest as the freshman singled to center field. Two batters later, Kelsey Richards dropped a triple inside the right foul line to plate Swartz to knot the game at 1-1.

Hope regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run and a two-run home run to make it 4-1.

The Belles showed their resilience by putting together a big rally in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Jamie Young had a lead-off single but was forced out at second on a fielder's choice by Kelsey Keilman. Makenzie Duncan drew a walk to put a pair of runners on base, and Cassie Young hit a double over the center fielder's head to plate Keilman. JoAnna Keilman had a hard-hit ball to the shortstop, but Makenzie Duncan was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play to record the second out of the inning. The Belles were far from finished with their at-bats. Sydney Swartz hit a momentum-shifting double to right field, which allowed both Cassie Young and JoAnna Keilman to come in to score as the game was then tied 4-4. Megan Knudsen added a single to center field, and Sydney Swartz scored on the play as she was running with two outs gone. Kelsey Richards was then hit by a pitch, and Alyssa Gutierrez's grounder to the shortstop resulted in a throwing error as Knudsen came in to score. With Richards standing at third and Gutierrez on second as a result of the error, the pair both scored on the same play. A wild pitch allowed Richards to slide into home, and a throwing error by the Hope catcher on the play saw Gutierrez touch home safely to make it an 8-4 Saint Mary's lead. Jamie Young added her second hit of the inning to keep the at-bats going, but a foul pop up ended the rally.

Down to their final three outs, Hope started off the seventh with a lead-off single. The next Flying Dutch batter hit a shallow fly ball toward center field. Cassie Young came in to make the catch, and the senior doubled off the runner on first, who was running on the play, to give the Belles two outs. Young then closed out the win with another fly out to center field as Saint Mary's took the 8-4 victory.

The game-two win gives the 2018 Belles sole possession of the school record for wins in a season (29) with two regular season conference doubleheaders still remaining on the schedule. The victory also secures a spot in the top-four MIAA Tournament for the Belles with a week still remaining in the season.

Sydney Swartz went 2-for-3 in game two with a double, two runs, and two RBI to help lead the offense. Jamie Young added a 2-for-3 effort while every hitter in the lineup for Saint Mary's reached base safely at least once. Jessica Alberts had a no-decision after going 5.2 innings in the circle with two strikeouts and no walks. Morgan Raymer came on in relief and picked up the win with 1.1 innings of work while striking out one and allowing just one hit.

The Belles (29-3, 11-1 MIAA) return home to host Olivet on Saturday, April 21 for a conference doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.