Strong pitching propels Crusaders to a 2-1 start

Both pitchers were on in the early going and it was the Eagles who struck first in the bottom of the third inning as they used a pair of sacrifice bunts, an error, and a stolen base to scratch across the first run. The score remained 1-0 until the Blue and Gold broke the game open in the fifth. 

Amy Clegg and Sarah Holton led off with back-to-back singles and Kattie Popko gave MU the lead with a two-run double into the left-field corner. Brooklyn Prescott followed with an RBI double and her pinch runner, Rebecca Barnes, scored on Brooklyn Dolloff’s single. After Bailey Martin-Brown collected her first collegiate hit, Jenna Gilbert doubled in two more for the 6-1 win.

Prescott led MU with two of the teams 10 hits while Popko and Gilbert each had a pair of RBI. Alyssa Fessenden was the story though as the junior right-hander allowed one unearned run on two hits over five innings with six strikeouts and no walks. 

It was a tough second game as the Crusaders faced a well-rested Saint Xavier team that played nearly flawless. The Blue and Gold had one baserunner in the contest and struck out eight times, but had several base hits taken away by stellar defense. 

Not to be lost in the loss was the outing put forth by second-year freshman Maeson Schlaud who allowed one run on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts over four innings. 

The final game of the day belonged to Pawelski and Ciera Jones as the duo helped MU improve to 2-1. Pawelski went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored while Jones allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts over four innings. 

The Crusaders jumped all over the starter for the Pride as Holton walked, an error put Brooke Garbarino on and Popko and Pawelski delivered back-to-back RBI singles for the 2-0 lead. A Dolloff base hit scored another, Pawelski scored on a throwing error and Makayla Bassage doubled home the fifth run of the inning. 

With Jones dealing, the offense added two more runs in the bottom of the third as Fessenden singled home Dolloff and Holton batted in Bassage for the 7-0 advantage. 

Clarke got on the board in the fourth with an RBI groundout before Pawelski put an exclamation point on the victory with a three-run home run to center field for the final margin.