Photo courtesy of Dan Horan.
Posted: Mar 17, 2023
AUBURNDALE, Fla. - The Saint Mary's softball team out-scored their opponents 16-4 en route to a 7-2 win over Nichols and a 9-2 victory over Framingham State to close out their Florida trip.
Saint Mary's retired the side in order in the top of the first inning before jumping in on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning. Caitlin Traxler hit a two-out single to center field before Libby Bierbaum blasted a home run to left-center field for a 2-0 advantage. The defense got the job done again, and the offense struck in the second. Mandi Hettinger bounced a one-out single up the middle before Maddie James beat out an infield single to put two on base. A wild pitch advanced the pair, and McKenna Shoupe used a hard ground out to score Hettinger for the 3-0 lead.
Another three-up, three-down effort by the defense in the top of the third saw the Belles step right up to the batter's box. Rylee Hershberger led off with a single, and an error saw Caitlin Traxler reach first. Libby Bierbaum dropped a single into center field to load the bases, and McKenna Myers added a single of her own to left field to plate Hershberger. Alexis Rauch drew a bases-loaded walk to score Traxler, and Mandi Hettinger hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Bierbaum. Two batters later, McKenna Shoupe used an outfield single to drive in Myers as the Belles ballooned their lead to 7-0.
The defense continued to come through by retiring the side in order in the fourth. The Bison broke up the shutout effort in the fifth with a two-out, two-run single, but Mandi Hettinger came on in relief and got a bases-loaded strikeout to shut the door on Nichols. Saint Mary's again retired the side in order in the sixth and nearly added to their lead, but the Belles were unable to push a run across despite loading the bases. Down to their last at-bats, the Bison had back-to-back one-out singles to put a pair on base, but Hettinger induced a groundout before closing the game with a strikeout looking.
Libby Bierbaum went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored. Caitlin Traxler was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Mandi Hettinger was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run, and McKenna Shoupe had a hit and drove in two. Rylee Hershberger posted a hit and scored a run, and McKenna Myers had a hit, scored a run, and drove in one. Alexis Rauch drew a walk and tallied an RBI. Bierbaum earned the pitching win in the circle after going 4.2 innings with a strikeout. Hettinger closed out the final 2.1 innings and struck out two while not allowing a run.
In the game against Framingham State, the Rams hit a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning for a 1-0 lead. The Belles came right back in the top of the third. Rylee Hershberger reached on a fielder's choice, and an error on a ball hit by Caitlin Traxler saw the Belles put runners on first and second. Libby Bierbaum drew a walk to load the bases before a wild pitch saw the trio advance with Hershberger scoring on the play. A fly ball off the bat of McKenna Myers drove in Traxler, and another error on a ball hit by Mandi Hettinger allowed Bierbaum to score to give the Belles a 3-1 lead.
Despite drawing a walk and stealing both second and third, McKenna Shoupe was unable to score in the fourth. The defense had a three-up, three-down effort and got up to bat quickly. Caitlin Traxler led off with a home run to give Saint Mary's a big energy burst. McKenna Myers drew a one-out walk, Mandi Hettinger hit a single, and a ground out by Alexis Rauch drove in Myers to push the lead to 5-1.
The Rams responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth to keep close. Neither team got the offense going in the sixth, but Traxler continued to have a hot bat as the Belles' second baseman led off the seventh with another solo bomb. Two batters later, McKenna Myers added a home run of her own. Saint Mary's kept the bats going with two outs gone. A dropped third strike allowed Mandi Hettinger to score, and a throwing error saw Sophie Allen score after the duo each tallied singles earlier in the inning. Rylee Hershberger had a home run robbed with an over-the-fence catch to end the inning. Framingham State hit a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but a fly out to left field ended the game and gave the Belles the 9-2 win.
Caitlin Traxler was 3-for-4 with two home runs, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Mandi Hettinger went 2-for-4 with a run scored. McKenna Myers was 1-for-2 with a home run, two runs scored, two RBIs, and a walk. Sophie Allen had a hit and scored a run, and Rylee Hershberger had a double and scored a run. Mac Pepper and Alexis Rauch each picked up a hit in the win. Hettinger earned her first pitching victory of the season after a complete-game effort with no walks and three strikeouts.
The Belles (5-5) are set to travel to Franklin on Tuesday, March 21 for a doubleheader starting at 3:30 p.m.
Another three-up, three-down effort by the defense in the top of the third saw the Belles step right up to the batter's box. Rylee Hershberger led off with a single, and an error saw Caitlin Traxler reach first. Libby Bierbaum dropped a single into center field to load the bases, and McKenna Myers added a single of her own to left field to plate Hershberger. Alexis Rauch drew a bases-loaded walk to score Traxler, and Mandi Hettinger hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Bierbaum. Two batters later, McKenna Shoupe used an outfield single to drive in Myers as the Belles ballooned their lead to 7-0.
The defense continued to come through by retiring the side in order in the fourth. The Bison broke up the shutout effort in the fifth with a two-out, two-run single, but Mandi Hettinger came on in relief and got a bases-loaded strikeout to shut the door on Nichols. Saint Mary's again retired the side in order in the sixth and nearly added to their lead, but the Belles were unable to push a run across despite loading the bases. Down to their last at-bats, the Bison had back-to-back one-out singles to put a pair on base, but Hettinger induced a groundout before closing the game with a strikeout looking.
Libby Bierbaum went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and two runs scored. Caitlin Traxler was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Mandi Hettinger was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run, and McKenna Shoupe had a hit and drove in two. Rylee Hershberger posted a hit and scored a run, and McKenna Myers had a hit, scored a run, and drove in one. Alexis Rauch drew a walk and tallied an RBI. Bierbaum earned the pitching win in the circle after going 4.2 innings with a strikeout. Hettinger closed out the final 2.1 innings and struck out two while not allowing a run.
In the game against Framingham State, the Rams hit a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning for a 1-0 lead. The Belles came right back in the top of the third. Rylee Hershberger reached on a fielder's choice, and an error on a ball hit by Caitlin Traxler saw the Belles put runners on first and second. Libby Bierbaum drew a walk to load the bases before a wild pitch saw the trio advance with Hershberger scoring on the play. A fly ball off the bat of McKenna Myers drove in Traxler, and another error on a ball hit by Mandi Hettinger allowed Bierbaum to score to give the Belles a 3-1 lead.
Despite drawing a walk and stealing both second and third, McKenna Shoupe was unable to score in the fourth. The defense had a three-up, three-down effort and got up to bat quickly. Caitlin Traxler led off with a home run to give Saint Mary's a big energy burst. McKenna Myers drew a one-out walk, Mandi Hettinger hit a single, and a ground out by Alexis Rauch drove in Myers to push the lead to 5-1.
The Rams responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth to keep close. Neither team got the offense going in the sixth, but Traxler continued to have a hot bat as the Belles' second baseman led off the seventh with another solo bomb. Two batters later, McKenna Myers added a home run of her own. Saint Mary's kept the bats going with two outs gone. A dropped third strike allowed Mandi Hettinger to score, and a throwing error saw Sophie Allen score after the duo each tallied singles earlier in the inning. Rylee Hershberger had a home run robbed with an over-the-fence catch to end the inning. Framingham State hit a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but a fly out to left field ended the game and gave the Belles the 9-2 win.
Caitlin Traxler was 3-for-4 with two home runs, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Mandi Hettinger went 2-for-4 with a run scored. McKenna Myers was 1-for-2 with a home run, two runs scored, two RBIs, and a walk. Sophie Allen had a hit and scored a run, and Rylee Hershberger had a double and scored a run. Mac Pepper and Alexis Rauch each picked up a hit in the win. Hettinger earned her first pitching victory of the season after a complete-game effort with no walks and three strikeouts.
The Belles (5-5) are set to travel to Franklin on Tuesday, March 21 for a doubleheader starting at 3:30 p.m.