TUCSON, Ariz. – The Madonna University softball team faced a pair of Dakota schools in a twilight doubleheader on Monday at the Tucson Invitational Games. The Crusaders dropped game one to Dakota State University, 8-7, before capturing their sixth win of the season over Dakota Wesleyan University, 4-2.
The one-run loss to the Trojans is the third in four such games for Madonna who is 6-5 with an off day on Tuesday. DSU improved to 8-6 with the win while DWU is now 3-13 in 2017.
For the seventh time this season, the Crusaders scored first, but they fell to 5-2 when doing so. In the bottom of the first, Morgan Kaiser (SR/Flat Rock, Mich.) led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a Mikey Kish (SR/Allen Park, Mich.) groundout. Nicky Salloum (SR/Livonia, Mich.) followed with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead.
MU could have had more in the opening stanza had Salloum not been thrown out at home for the second out before a groundout ended the scoring chance.
In the third, the Trojans strung together four hits, with the final one being a two-run double to take the lead.
Both pitchers settled in until the fifth when the Blue and Gold used four hits and a DSU error to score four runs. With one out, Breanna Keethler (SR/Flat Rock, Mich.) doubled and Bri Giordano (SR/Plymouth, Mich.) singled her home to tie the game. A Kayla Rebain (SR/Plymouth, Mich.) walk followed by an error loaded the bases for Bria DeBono (SR/Lapeer, Mich.) who singled to right to add another. Becky Giacobbi(SO/Livonia, Mich.) plated the third run with a single and an RBI walk by Kaiser made it 5-2.
Another unearned run scored for the Trojans in the sixth as an error followed by a double, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly cut the lead to just one, 5-4.
Three consecutive singles by Keethler, Giordano and Rebain, along with a Dakota State miscue, plated two more runs with just three outs to go.
They proved to be a tough three outs as two singles and a double quickly reduced the margin to just one. That's when Tatum Ronke deposited a 3-2 offering over the left field wall for the go-ahead two-run home run.
Madonna was able to threaten in the bottom of the frame with runners on the corners and two outs, but could not get the run in to force extra innings.
While the pitching staff struggled in the loss, the offense pounded out 13 hits led by a 4-for-4 night from Giordano who also drove in two runs and scored twice. Kaiser, Salloum and Keethler each tallied two hits.
Madonna continued to apply pressure early in game two as Kish walked and scored on a Salloum single and Tigers error. Giordano continued her hot streak with an RBI single to plate Salloum for the 2-0 advantage.
Another Dakota Wesleyan miscue, this time with two outs in the second, allowed Mallory Daschke (JR/Novi, Mich.), who walked two batters earlier, to score.
Combs kept the Tigers offense quiet until the fourth when a pair of singles and a Madonna error led to yet another unearned run.
The Crusaders got the run back in the fifth as Emma Sikina (FR/Woodhaven, Mich.) followed a Rebain, who reach via an error; with an RBI triple to take a 4-1 lead.
An eventful seventh inning saw the Tigers add another run on a pair of hits and another MU error, but Combs was able to shut the door for the victory.
Combs bounced back from the tough loss in game one to allow two unearned runs on seven hits over seven innings while striking out three and walking none.
Salloum and Sikina paced the offense with two hits each with Sikina collecting an RBI and Salloum scoring once.
Madonna has an off day on Tuesday, Mar. 7 before the third of four triple headers on Wednesday, Mar. 8. The Crusaders face Dakota Wesleyan and Judson University for a second time at 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. before seeing Olivet Nazarene University at 5:30 p.m. Live stats of all the Crusader contest at the Tucson Invitational Games are available at GameChanger.com.