THE BASICS
Score: Game 1: Madonna University 8, Lourdes University (Ohio) 0
Game 2: Madonna 7, Lourdes 1
Records: Madonna 26-4 (13-3), Lourdes 13-20 (7-10)
Location: University Field, Livonia, Mich.

LIVONIA, Mich. -- The Madonna University softball team celebrated Senior Day as they took on Lourdes University (Ohio) on Sunday, in a doubleheader. The Crusaders defeated the Gray Wolves in the first game, 8-0, and 7-1 in game two.

GAME 1 - HOW IT HAPPENED

The Crusaders got on the board in a hurry, as they got up 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning. They got their runs on a pair of walks, as Bailey Martin-Brown walked in Veronica Pezzoni, and Amy Clegg walked in Chylece Cluck.

In the bottom of the second, Kattie Popko hit a towering home run over the storage garage in left field, her sixth of the season. The two-run shot also scored Sarah Holton. The Crusaders also managed a two out rally, as Gauthier scored when Martin-Brown reached on an error. Clegg singled to score the pinch running Jenna Gould, and Clegg scored on a double from Emily Pawelski. After the end of the second, the Crusaders led 7-0.

Madonna added one more run in the bottom of the third with a single from Popko, to drive in Pezzoni. From there, the Crusaders were able to shut down the Gray Wolves to win 8-0, via the mercy rule after 5 innings.

The Crusaders received another great outing from Maeson Schlaud, who took a perfect game into the fifth inning. She threw five shutout innings, only allowing one baserunner on a hit, and struck out nine.

GAME 2 - HOW IT HAPPENED

As with the first game, the Crusaders scored two in the bottom of the first, as Gauthier and Popko scored when Amy Clegg reached on an error. 

After Lourdes mustered a run in the top of the third, Madonna added onto their lead in the bottom of the fourth, as Sarah Holton singled up the middle to score Gould. Holton would score on a Cluck sacrifice bunt, and Popko hit an RBI single. The Crusaders added one more run in the bottom of the sixth, when Ashley Olweean scored on a Martin-Brown sacrifice bunt. 

Schlaud started game two as well, and pitched yet another gem for the Crusaders. She earned her 15th win of the season, as she went six innings, allowing just one run on five hits. She struck out seven hitters. She was relieved in the seventh by Jane Anderson, who pitched one shutout inning. In her inning, she allowed one hit and walked one, and struck out one batter.

BY THE NUMBERS:

• Schlaud: 2 W, 11 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 16 K
• Popko: 4-7, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 3 SB
• Pezzoni: 4-7, 3 R, 2 SB
• Clegg: 2-6, 4 RBI, 2 R

UP NEXT:

The Crusaders will play their final home games of the year on Tuesday, as they take on Cleary University (Mich.) in a doubleheader. The games will be played at Madonna's University Field, and start at 3 PM.



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