NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Saint Mary's College Softball split their home opening double header with Aurora University, winning game one 4-3 and falling in game two 15-4. The Belles move to 7-11 on the year while the Spartans moved to 6-6. The Belles also celebrated their annual Morgan's Message game with the Spartans.
 
Game One
After a quiet first inning for both teams, the Saint Mary's bats got hot in the bottom of the second. After back-to-back lead off singles from freshman Maggie Voliva (Saint John, IN) and senior Sam Mikitka (Naperville, IL), the two swiped a bag each to advance to second and third. Sophomore Hunter St. Peter (Traverse City, MI) then singled to right field to bring Voliva in to score and advance Mikitka. After St. Peter swiped second, sophomore Lydia Hinga followed with a single of her own, bringing Mikitka in to score and advance St. Peter to third. After Hinga swiped a bag herself, sophomore Talia Jorgensen (St. Paul, MN) singled through the right side to bring St. Peter around to score, putting the Belles ahead 3-0 early.
 
Aurora added two runs of their own with four two-out hits including an RBI double in the top of the third. The Belles would tack on another run in the bottom of the fourth inning after St. Peter led off the inning with a triple to right center field. Sophomore Arianna Vazquez (Carol Stream, IL) then laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt back to the pitcher to bring St. Peter in to score, putting the Belles ahead, 4-2.
 
The Spartans tacked on another run off of back-to-back doubles to lead off the top of the fifth inning. Junior Sammy Schrader (Romeoville, IL) came in to pitch in relief in the sixth inning, and shut the Spartans down in order after allowing one hit and Hinga throwing out a runner trying to steal second. Schrader then got three fly outs to the outfield around a single to close out the game and the 4-3 win for the Belles.
 
Jorgensen, St. Peter, Hinga, and junior Allie Moss (Goshen, IN) all added two hits on the game while St. Peter had the Belles extra base hit with her fourth inning triple. St. Peter came in to score twice while Voliva and Mikitka scored once each. Jorgensen, St. Peter, Vazquez, and Hinga all added an RBI each.
 
In the circle, sophomore Ashlyn Yeo (Jackson, MI) got the win for the Belles, throwing five strong innings and allowing three runs while striking out two batters. Schrader earned her first save of the year with her two innings of work, allowing just two hits.
 
Game Two
The second game started much differently for Saint Mary's as Aurora would jump out to an early 10-0 lead after the first two and a half innings. The Spartans tacked on two runs in the first and third innings and six in the second with nine hits and four fielding errors by the Belles.
 
Saint Mary's started to mount their comeback in the bottom of the third inning after St. Peter doubled to lead off the inning and sophomore Emma Luther (New Carlisle, IN) followed that with an RBI single of her own to bring St. Peter in to score. After back-to-back outs, Jorgensen reached with a single through the left side before sophomore Gia Schiavone (Poland, OH) doubled to left center field to bring Jorgensen and sophomore Mary Gamble (Columbus, OH) in to score, Gamble pinch running for Luther, cutting the deficit to 10-3.
 
The Spartans would tack on another five runs on six hits in the top of the fourth to extend their lead. Down to their last out, freshman Isabelle Hochmuth (St. Louis, MO) doubled to left center field to keep the game going. Voliva then singled up the middle, allowing Hochmuth to score. This wouldn't be enough as Aurora took home a 15-4 win in five innings.
 
Seven different hitters tallied a hit for the Belles while Schiavone, Hochmuth, and St. Peter all added doubles. Schiavone also added two RBIs on the day.
 
In the circle, Mikitka was the pitcher of record, throwing one and two-thirds innings while allowing eight runs, three earned, and facing 17 batters. Schrader then followed with two innings of her own, allowing seven runs while facing 17 batters. Yeo finished off the day with the final one and third inning, allowing just one hit.
 
UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES
Saint Mary's continues their home stand with a double header on Thursday, March 26, as they host Anderson University at 3/5pm. The Belles then take on Goshen College at home on Sunday, March 29, with a 12 and 2pm double header. They then kick off MIAA play on Saturday, April 4, as they host Kalamazoo College.