NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. - Saint Mary's College Softball took down Manchester University in a non-conference double header on Thursday, 3-1 in game one and 12-4 in game two via run rule. The Belles improve to 11-15 on the year while the Spartans fall to 11-10.

Game One

The first three innings of game one were quiet offensively for both teams as the starting pitching dominated for both Saint Mary's and Manchester. The Belles got the scoring started in the top of the fourth after a leadoff single from sophomore Gia Schiavone (Poland, OH). After a flyout, freshman Maggie Voliva (Saint John, IN) laid down a bunt for a hit. Sophomore Arianna Vazquez (Carol Stream, IL) would then reach on an error by the Spartans pitcher, allowing Schiavone to score to put the Belles ahead. Vazquez would then be out at second after sophomore Hunter St. Peter (Traverse City, MI) grounded into a fielder's choice but Voliva was able to score, giving Saint Mary's a 2-0 lead.

Manchester tacked on one run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit in half, but in the top of the sixth inning, freshman Isabelle Hochmuth (St. Louis, MO) smacked her third home run of the season to extend the Belles lead to 3-1. Saint Mary's would shut down the Spartans offense in the final two innings, closing out their 3-1 win.

Voliva led the team with two hits in the first game while Hochmuth smacked her third home run. Three different Belles tallied runs and RBIs on the afternoon.

Saint Mary's pitching dominated in the first game, sophomore Ashlyn Yeo (Jackson, MI) had a strong start, throwing four and two-thirds innings allowing just one run on four hits. Senior Sam Mikitka (Naperville, IL) was strong in relief for the Belles, throwing two and a third innings while allowing just three hits and striking out one batter including getting out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth inning.

Game Two

The Belles got game two going strong with four back-to-back singles to score the first run of the game. Junior Allie Moss (Goshen, IN) led off the game before she was followed by sophomore Talia Jorgensen (St. Paul, MN), Schiavone, and Hochmuth who brought Moss in to score to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Manchester bounced back with three runs on five hits in the bottom of the first inning to quickly take the lead for themselves, 3-1.

After a quiet second inning, Moss and Jorgensen reached with a walk and bunt single to get the third inning started. After both advanced on a fly out, Hochmuth grounded out to the shortstop to bring Moss in to score for the second time in the game. Voliva followed that up with a single back up the middle to bring Jorgensen in to tie the game at three.

After shutting down the Manchester offense in the bottom of the third, Saint Mary's offense exploded in the top of the fourth. St. Peter led off the inning with her first home run of the season to left field to retake the lead. Back to back walks from sophomores Emma Luther (New Carlisle, IN) and Katie Hans (Novi, MI) surrounded a pitching change for the Spartans before Jorgensen tripled to right center field to bring Hans and freshman Molly Ryan (Joliet, IL), who was pinch running for Luther, in to score. Schiavone then brought Jorgensen home on a bunt single before Hochmuth launched her second home run of the day to left center field to extend the Belles lead to six. The Spartans added another run in the bottom of the fourth to try to cut the deficit, trailing 9-4.

The Belles offense wouldn't stop there, after a one out walk from Moss and single from freshman Ella Kucala (Monee, IL), Hochmuth stepped in with two outs and sent a deep fly ball over the center field fence for her second home run of the game, third of the day. Hochmuth's RBI total on the day totalled seven, the most in a game this season. The Belles sat down the Spartans while leaving one runner on base in the bottom half to close out their 12-4 run-rule victory for the sweep.

Hochmuth and Jorgensen led the team with three hits each while Hochmuth added two home runs and Jorgensen added a triple. Schiavone and Voliva each had two hits while St. Peter added her first home run of the season. Hochmuth led the game with seven RBIs while Jorgensen added a pair. Moss came in to score three times in the game while both Jorgensen and Hochmuth scored twice.

In the circle, junior Sammy Schrader (Romeoville, IL) started for the Belles, throwing two-thirds of an inning and allowing three runs on five hits. Sophomore Aubrey Zachary (Granger, IN) came in relief of Schrader and dominated with four innings pitched, allowing just one run on three hits and striking out three batters. Sophomore Mary Gamble (Columbus, OH) made her first collegiate pitching appearance, facing the final two batters of the game.

UP NEXT FOR THE BELLES

Saint Mary's returns home for back-to-back home series, starting on Saturday, April 11, as they host the University of Olivet at 1pm. The Belles then return to action on Wednesday, April 15, when they host #2 Trine University at 3pm.