THE BASICS
Scores: MU 5, RC 1; MU 10. RC 3
Records: Madonna University (33-12, 17-4 WHAC), Rochester College (11-30, 6-15 WHAC)
Location: Jaycee Park - Rochester Hills, Mich.
 

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ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. - With a sweep of Rochester College at Jaycee Park on Friday afternoon, 5-1, 10-3, the Madonna University softball team earned its first outright Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference regular-season championship since 2010 and the first outright title in the WHAC since 2016.

This is the third consecutive season the Crusaders have won at least a share of the regular season crown. It also assure them of a spot in the NAIA Opening Round which will take place May 13-15 at various campus sites.

GAME 1: Madonna 5, Rochester 1
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• The Crusaders ambushed the Warriors' starter for two runs on three hits in the top of the first as Sarah Holton led of with a double and scored on a one-out single from Kattie Popko. Halee Warren singled and Kerstyn Comerzan drove in Popko with an RBI groundout.
• A Makayla Bassage single, Becky Giacobbi walk and Holton single loaded the bases in the fourth and Jordan Johnson delivered a big two-run single for the four run lead.
• A Rochester home run got the home team on the board in the fourth, but Madonna got the run back in the sixth as Bassage doubled down the left field line, moved up 60 feet on a Giacobbi sacrifice bunt and scored on a wild pitch for the final margin.

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS SAY?

• Madonna outhit the Warriors 11-5 led by a 3-for-3 game from Bassage who was responsible for two runs scored
• Holton (2-for-4, 1 run) and Brooklyn Dolloff (2-for-3, BB) also had multiple hits in the contest while Johnson had two of the teams four RBI
• Madisen Henry (14-7) continued her WHAC dominance as she allowed one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts in a complete-game win

GAME 2: Madonna 10, Rochester 3
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• After Madonna stranded runners at second and third with nobody out in the first, Rochester played small ball in the bottom half to take a 1-0 lead
• The Crusaders pulled ahead in the second as Emma Sikina walked and scored on a Bassage triple to tie the game. Yogi Hang drew a walk and Holton followed with an RBI double. A Warriors' error scored another then Popko snuck a single just inside the third base bag for the 4-1 lead.
• Rochester used a hit, two walks and a fielder's choice to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second
• The Blue and Gold were at it again in the third as Dolloff led off with a single, Sikina doubled and Giacobbi plated Dolloff with a sacrifice bunt. MU seemed to get another on a Holton single, but Sikina was cut down at the plate on a controversial call.
• A Rochester error and RBI doubles by Popko and Amy Clegg made it 7-2 MU in the fourth
• Madonna posted another crooked inning in the sixth as Popko led off with a double, Comerzan singled and a wild pitch scored a run. Clegg walked, back-to-back sacrifice bunts scored another run and Giacobbi followed another walk with an RBI single for the 10-2 lead
• The Warriors got another solo home run to right center to extend the game in the sixth
• The Crusaders added a run in the seventh on a Kassidy Lipinski double

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS SAY?

• The Blue and Gold outhit the Warriors 15 to X, led by Popko who finished 4-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI and two runs scored
• Bassage and Holton each added two hits, walked once, scored a run and drove in a run
• The Crusaders had nine extra base hits in the contest with eight double and a triple
• Every starter for the Crusaders recorded a hit in the contest
• Ciera Jones (15-5) earned the win as she allowed four runs on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts in her 13th complete game

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders will be the top seed in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference tournament May 3-5 at Pacesetter Park. They will face the eighth seed in the tournament on Wednesday, May 3 at 4 p.m.
• Live coverage will be available on the Madonna Athletics Network at www.mucrusaders.com/live.  

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