GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - In their first games in 375 days, the Saint Mary's softball team split a conference doubleheader at Calvin on Tuesday as the Belles took game one 3-2 before falling 8-0 in six innings in game two.

 

Game one saw the Belles put together a come-from-behind victory against the Knights. Calvin gained the early edge with a run in the bottom of the first inning before adding a second run in the bottom of the second inning. Mandi Hettinger and the defense worked their way out of a jam in the third inning. With runners on second and third, Natalie Quinlan picked off the runner at third base to give the Belles two outs. A flyout to McKenna Myers at first base then ended the threat.

 

The Belles nearly hit through the lineup in the top of the sixth inning. Alyssa Gutierrez led off with a walk, and an error by the Knights' third baseman put Mac Pepper on first. JoAnna Keilman drove in Gutierrez with a double to left field to put the Belles on the scoreboard. Two batters later, Hettinger helped her own cause by driving in Pepper with a ground out to the right side of the infield to knot the game at 2-2. Caitlin Traxler drew a walk to put runners at the corners, and another Calvin error on a ball hit by Sydney Swartz allowed Keilman to score the go-ahead run.

 

Calvin led off the sixth inning with a single and used a sacrifice bunt to put the potential tying run into scoring position, but a pop up to Keilman at shortstop and a fly out to Paige Madden in right field ended the inning. Saint Mary's had a chance to add to the lead in the top of the seventh, but the Belles left runners on first and second to end the stanza. Any insurance runs were unnecessary, however, as Hettinger closed out the complete-game win with a three-up, three-down defensive inning for the 3-2 final.

 

JoAnna Keilman led the offense in game one with a 2-for-4 effort, a double, a run scored, and an RBI. Mandi Hettinger was 1-for-3 and scored a run, and Mac Pepper went 1-for-4 with a run scored. Alyssa Gutierrez scored a run and drew a walk in the win. Hettinger went the distance in the circle for the Belles. The junior scattered six hits and allowed two earned runs with one walk and no extra-base hits.

 

Game two saw the Belles have trouble offensively while the Knights take a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Calvin added a run in the top of the third. After a one-two-three inning defensively in the top of the fourth by Saint Mary's, the Belles had a chance to break onto the scoreboard in the bottom half of the frame. Mandi Hettinger laced a one-out single to center field, and Anna Gruber added a single of her own to center field to put a pair of runners on base. A fielder's choice to the left side of the infield, however, saw Hettinger forced out at third before a ground out ended the inning.

 

Calvin posted a fifth run in the top of the fifth inning and pushed three runs across in the top of the sixth. Needing at least one run to keep the game alive, the Belles were unable to put together a late-game rally as the Knights took the mercy rule-shortened 8-0 decision.

 

Anna Gruber led the Belles with a 2-for-3 effort at the dish. Hettinger and Gutierrez each added a hit in the contest. Caitlin Traxler shouldered the loss in the circle after going 2.1 innings and surrendering three earned runs while striking out one. Libby Bierbaum closed out the final 3.2 innings and struck out three while being taxed with four earned runs.

 

The Belles (1-1, 1-1 MIAA) travel to Alma on Friday as the Scots will host both the Belles and Calvin for three games on the day. Saint Mary's squares off against Calvin in a non-conference contest at 2:00 p.m. before facing host Alma in a non-conference tilt at 4:00 p.m.