TUCSON, Ariz. – The Madonna University softball team averaged 11 hits per game in a three-team triple header on Saturday on the second day of the Tucson Invitational Games at the Lincoln Park North Complex. The Crusaders opened with an 8-0 thumping of Douglas College in an exhibition before losing to both Judson University (9-1) and William Penn University (8-4).

In the exhibition victory, Erika Randall (JR/Livonia, Mich.) tossed a complete-game four hitter with three strikeouts and just one walk. On offense, nine different Crusaders registered a hit with Nicky Salloum (SR/Livonia, Mich.) (3-for-4, 4 RBI), Mikey Kish(SR/Allen Park, Mich.) (2-for-3, 3 R, 1 RBI) and Morgan Kaiser (SR/Flat Rock, Mich.) (2-for-3, 3 R) leading the way.

A Kaiser single and Kish double started the game before Salloum drove them both in with another single for a 2-0 lead.

An error helped propel the Crusaders to a three-run second. After Kaiser reached on the error, Kish, Salloum and Breanna Keethler (SR/Flat Rock, Mich.) followed with three-straight RBI singles for a 5-0 advantage.

Kaiser and Salloum base hits added another tally in the fourth and then four-consecutive base hits from Mallory Daschke (JR/Novi, Mich.), Bria DeBono (SR/Lapeer, Mich.), Morgan Thompson (SR/Fort Gratiot, Mich.) and Haley Izworski (SO/West Branch, Mich.) led to two runs in the sixth to end the game.

In the second game of the day, the offense amassed seven hits, but stranded six runners in the 9-1 setback. Paige Montague (JR/Clio, Mich.) struggled in the circle as she allowed nine runs on 10 hits with two walks and one strikeout over four innings. Kaiser led the offense with a 2-for-3 game and the lone run scored.

The Eagles started hot as a one out single, hit by pitch and back-to-back two out doubles plated three runs in the first inning. Then in the second, two more hits plated two more runs for a 5-0 deficit.
In the third, MU got a run back as Kaiser led off with a single, moved to third on two groundouts and scored on a Keethler single. A two out walk put two on with two out, by the Crusaders could not push another run across.

Unfortunately, three hits and two walks led to four more Eagles' runs in the bottom of the frame for the final tally.

In the final game of the day, the Crusaders outhit the Statesmen of William Penn 13-12, but four errors led to 7 unearned runs and an 8-4 loss.

Erin Combs (SR/Imlay City, Mich.), who fell to 2-1, took the loss despite allowing just one earned run on eight hits with one walk and one strikeout in seven innings.

Eight different players registered a hit with Kayla Rebain (SR/Plymouth, Mich.) leading the way with a 3-for-4 day while Keethler, Salloum and Kaiser also tallied two hits each.

The big inning came in the third as WPU plated five unearned runs on five hits and two errors. After a pair of errors that should have ended the inning actually plated a run, the Statesmen strung together four hits in a row to build an early lead.

Another two errors, this time with two outs, plated two more unearned runs in the third to put William Penn ahead 7-0. However, the Crusaders made a dent in that lead in the bottom of the third.

Becky Giacobbi (SO/Livonia, Mich.) got the inning started with a leadoff single and Kaiser followed with a walk. Kish then doubled them both home before coming around to score on Salloum's double. A Keethler single put runners on the corners with none out, but the Crusaders again failed to get the runners home.

With a 7-4 advantage, William Penn added another tally with back-to-back doubles to being the sixth. The Crusaders also scored in the inning as Giacobbi reached on an error and scored three batters later on a Salloum single. MU had a chance to add more, but a double play ended the inning.

Madonna hit into a third double play to end the game, unable to complete the comeback.

With a pair of losses, the Crusaders drop to 4-2 on the season and continue play at the Tucson Invitational Games with the second of four triple-headers as they face Missouri Valley College (11 AM), La Sierra University (Calif.) (1 PM) and Concordia University (Neb.) (8 PM). Live stats of all games is available through GameChanger. You can sign-up for a free account here and follow the Crusaders on their 16-game, 7-day journey.