GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Madonna University softball team returned from a two-week layoff and earned a split with Cornerstone University at the CU Softball Field on Saturday afternoon. Miscues cost the Crusaders (12-3, 1-1 WHAC) in a 6-3 first game loss before everything came together in a game two 5-1 victory over the Golden Eagles (10-6, 3-3 WHAC)

GAME 1: #RV Madonna 3, Cornerstone 6
A pair of errors in the first two innings led to unearned runs for the home team before the MU offense came to life. Makayla Bassage led off the third with a double and scored on a two-out groundout by Sarah Holton. 

Cornerstone added a run in the fourth and three in the fifth to extend the lead. The Blue and Gold put a rally together in the sixth as Emily Pawelski singled with one out and a two-out RBI triple by Jenna Gilbert cut the deficit to four. A pair of walks put two on for Veronica Pezzoni who singled to right field for the third MU run. 

Madonna put a runner on in the seventh, but couldn't finish the comeback in the game one loss. The Crusaders tallied eight hits to Cornerstone's nine, led by Pawelski's 2-for-3 effort while six others recorded a hit and three drove in a run. 

GAME 2: #RV Madonna 5, Cornerstone 1
Cornerstone struck first again in game two, this time a solo home run to lead off the second inning, but MU starter Ciera Jones settled in and allowed just one hit the rest of the way to improve to 5-0 on the season. 

The offense came to life in the fourth as Kattie Popko and Pawelski led off the frame with back-to-back doubles and a pair of Golden Eagles errors plated two runs. An Amy Clegg RBI single added a third for the Blue and Gold.
 

T4 | MU 3, CU 1

Amy Clegg drive in a run after a pair of errors bring in two!#CrusaderNation pic.twitter.com/nIe7XeOUi8

— Madonna Softball (@MUCrusadersSB) April 3, 2021

Then in the fifth, Popko drove a 3-0 pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run home run and a 5-1 lead.
 

T5 | MU 5, CU 1

Kattie Popko adds to the lead with a 2-run HR, her first of the year! #CrusaderNation pic.twitter.com/yTkqQD8GTB

— Madonna Softball (@MUCrusadersSB) April 3, 2021

Jones scattered four hits over six innings and struck out four against two walks with just one run allowed. Popko paced the seven-hit attack with a 2-for-4 game with two runs scored and two RBI. Holton and Gilbert each finished 1-for-3 with a run scored.

UP NEXT
The Crusaders return to University Field on Wednesday, April 7 for a doubleheader against Concordia University (Mich.) with first pitch at 3:30 p.m. Tickets, available for MU fans only via assigned passcodes, are available at www.mucrusaders.com/tickets. Fans can read the most updated fan policy here.

Those that can't attend can watch the games at www.mucrusaders.com/watch. 

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