Belles Sweep Brits to Open MIAA Play

Game One Box Score - Game Two Box Score

• Alyssa Gutierrez went 5-for-7 on the day with four RBI and three runs.
• Makenzie Ducan blasted a home run, and Jamie Young tied the program record for runs in a career in game two.
• Morgan Raymer picked up her 40th career pitching win, and Jessica Alberts posted her third-consecutive complete-game shutout.

ALBION, Mich. - The Saint Mary's softball team rallied from a two-run deficit in game one for a 13-3 victory before shutting out host Albion 8-0 in five innings in game two to sweep their first MIAA doubleheader of the season.

The Belles plated a run in the top of the first inning to claim an early lead against the Britons. Kelsey Keilman hit a one-out single and advanced to second on a walk by Cassie Young. Sydney Swartz then drove in Keilman from second with a single to center field.

Albion responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Brits plated their three runs on three hits, a walk, and two hit batters to take the lead from the Belles.

A double play ended a scoring threat for Saint Mary's in the top of the second, and both sides were retired in order in the third inning. Defensively, the Belles forced the Brits into stranding a runner on third in the bottom of the fourth as Morgan Raymer wrung up a strike out to end the at-bats.

The Belles broke through offensively in the top of the fifth. Jamie Young laced a single to left field and Kelsey Keilman drew a walk to put two aboard. Cassie Young loaded the bases two batters later with an infield single. Sydney Swartz then delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field to plate Jamie Young and Keilman. Madelynne Keller then dropped a single into left field, allowing Cassie Young to score from second base for the 4-3 Saint Mary's lead.

The Brits threatened in the bottom half of the inning with a lead-off single and back-to-back sacrifice bunts to put the potential game-tying run on third. An infield ground out to Alyssa Gutierrez shut the door on the scoring chance as the game moved to the sixth inning.

Riding the momentum of the three-run fifth and the defensive stop, the Belles pushed four more runs across in their next at-bats. Megan Knudsen and Alyssa Gutierrez started off the inning with consecutive singles. Kelsey Keilman legged out an infield single two batters later to load the bases. Makenzie Duncan lifted a double to left field, allowing Knudsen and Gutierrez to score on the play. Cassie Young added a single to left field and advanced on the throw while driving in Keilman. Swartz sent a ground out toward the opposite field, which allowed Duncan to score from third.

The offense continued to find a way by adding five additional runs in the top of the seventh. Kelsey Richards drew a lead-off walk, and Megan Knudsen and Alyssa Gutierrez again hit consecutive singles to load the bases. Kelsey Keilman reached on an error by the short stop as Kelsey Richards scored two batters later. Makenzie Duncan cleared the bases with a double and advanced to third on the throw to the plate as the Belles' lead grew to 12-3. Cassie Young then drove in Duncan with a ground out to give Saint Mary's a ten-run lead. The Brits were able to get a runner on in the bottom of the seventh, but Morgan Raymer closed the game out with a strikeout for the 13-3 win.

Alyssa Gutierrez went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, and Makenzie Duncan added a 2-for-5 effort with two doubles, two runs, and five RBI. Sydney Swartz added a pair of hits and four RBI. Jamie Young, Kelsey Keilman, Cassie Young, and Megan Knudsen each registered two hits in the win.

Morgan Raymer picked up the complete-game win in the circle with eight strikeouts, two walks, and four hits. The pitching victory is the 40th of her career as she becomes just the second player in program history to amass 40 pitching wins.

The Belles scored early and often in game two against Albion as Saint Mary's scored one in the first, four in the second, two in the third, and one in the fourth. Makenzie Duncan opened up the scoring with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning as the teams traded home and away honors for game two of the league twinbill. Cassie Young followed with a two-out triple, but the senior was left on third base to end the inning.

JoAnna Keilman led off the second inning with a single to left field, and Kelsey Richards drew walk to put a pair on base. Two batters later, Alyssa Gutierrez continued a hot day at the plate with a double to left-center field to score both runners. Jamie Young followed suit with a double of her own to drive in Gutierrez. Two batters later, Duncan drove in her second run in as many at-bats with a single to center field to make it a 5-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Richards and Keller hit back-to-back singles to left field with one out to jump start the offense yet again. Gutierrez delivered yet again with a two-run single to left-center field. Jamie Young hit her second double of the contest to put runners on second and third, but a pair of infield ground outs ended the scoring chance.

Saint Mary's added their eighth run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Swartz had a one-out walk, and Richards dropped a one-out single into left field. Keller singled to left-center, allowing Swartz to score from second to put the Belles up 8-0. Jessica Alberts closed out her third consecutive complete-game shutout.

Alyssa Gutierrez was 2-for-3 in the nightcap with four RBI, two doubles, and a run. Makenzie Duncan added a 2-for-3 effort with a home run and two RBI. Jamie Young matched the program record for runs in a career (145) after going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Cassie Young, Madelynne Keller, and Kelsey Richards each added two hits in the victory.

Jessica Alberts went five complete innings and surrendered just two hits while striking out two for her third complete-game shutout in as many appearances.

The Belles (20-2, 2-0 MIAA) return home to host Calvin on Tuesday, April 3 at 3:30 p.m.