TUCSON, Ariz. – The Madonna University softball team dropped the afternoon pair of their second consecutive triple-header on Sunday at the Tucson Invitational Games played at the Lincoln Park North Complex.
The Crusaders, who are 4-4 on the season, began the day with a pair of one-run losses to Missouri Valley College (5-4) and La Sierra University (Calif.) (6-5).
For the second time in as many days, Madonna outhit its opponent in a loss. The Blue and Gold amassed nine hits, led by Mikey Kish (SR/Allen Park, Mich.)'s 3-for-3 day, to just six for MVC, but once again errors were the difference in the contest.
Madisen Henry (FR/Swartz Creek, Mich.) got the start and tossed all six innings as she allowed five runs, three earned, on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Kish had a run scored and an RBI on the day while six other Crusaders tallied hits.
The Crusaders' offense got off to a hot start as Morgan Kaiser (SR/Flat Rock, Mich.) walked, Kish doubled and Nicky Salloum (SR/Livonia, Mich.) and Brenna Keethler plated them both with RBI groundouts for a 2-0 lead.
Three extra base hits, two doubles and a triple, led to three runs for the Vikings. It could have been more but Henry induced a double play to end the threat.
After MU failed to score with two on and one out in the third, a Crusaders error and an RBI double from Mackenzie Bilger added to the Missouri Valley lead.
With two outs in the sixth, a Vikings single, walk and the third Crusader error led to what turned out to be the game-winning run.
A two run seventh by the Crusaders made it close, but MU ran out of outs. Bria DeBono(SR/Lapeer, Mich.) and Becky Giacobbi (SO/Livonia, Mich.) led off with back-to-back doubles and a Kish sacrifice fly added the fourth tally, but a two-out rally was not to be as a groundout ended the game.
In game two, the Crusaders fell behind early, tied the game in the seventh, only to see the Golden Eagles walk-off with the win.
Unlike in game one, LSU got on the board first with a two ruin first inning. A leadoff bunt single, a Crusaders error and a pair of stolen bases put two runners in scoring position and a one-out two-run single put La Sierra in front.
The Golden Eagles added another tally in the fourth with a pair of doubles for a 3-0 advantage. It was a short-lived lead as MU got one run back in the fifth on a Giacobbi groundout. Erin Combs (SR/Imlay City, Mich.) led off with a single, her pinch runner moved up 120 feet on a sacrifice bunt and an Emma Sikina (FR/Woodhaven, Mich.) single before scoring on the groundout.
Then in the bottom of the frame two hit by pitches and three singles, all with two outs, pushed the deficit to four, 5-1.
Madonna did not back down and Sikina reached don a one-out error in the seventh to give MU some life. Haley Izworski (SO/West Branch, Mich.) and Kaiser followed with back-to-back base hits and Kish drove in two with a double. Salloum added two more with another double to tie the game at five. A walk, passed ball and stolen base put the go-ahead run 60 feet away, and a two-out walk loaded the bases, but the Crusaders could not get the hit they needed.
In the bottom of the seventh, back-to-back doubles by La Sierra ended the game, 5-4.
Paige Montague (JR/Clio, Mich.) got the start and allowed five runs, four earned on eight hits over five innings with two strikeouts and a walk while Erika Randall(JR/Livonia, Mich.) took the loss as she allowed one run on three hits over 1-plus innings of work.
Kish, who finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored, again led the offense, which collected five hits. Salloum also had two RBI while five difference players scored a run.
The Crusaders wrapped up their second of four triple headers with a night game against Concordia (Neb.) at 6 p.m. on Sunday.