MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Crusaders went out with a bang on the final day of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic, winning 14-0 in their first game against the Fitchburg State College Falcons, and capping off their trip with a 8-0 win over the Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan University.

GAME 1:

The Crusaders came out hot against the Falcons after shutting them out in the top of the first. Alissa Gauthier would lead off for the Crusaders, starting strong with a single down the right field line. Bailey Martin would follow with a phenomenal hit that got her all the way to third and gave Gauthier the chance to book it home for the first run of the day. Martin wouldn't have to wait long to make it home herself, as with the next at bat Autumn Reed drove a single to right field that was enough to bring Martin home. The Crusaders quickly loaded up the bases, Reed made her way to third with Jenna Gilbert on second and Gabby Toth on first. A sloppy pitch by the Falcons would nail Jessica Dunkel, walking her to first and Reed home.

With the bases still loaded, Kelsi Littleton stepped into the batter's box. She wound up and fired one deep to right field for a triple that brought all three runners on base home as the Crusaders doubled their score in one hit. Elizabeth Savacool followed up Littleton by rattling off a triple of her own down the right field line and bringing Littleton home. Savacool would make it home herself before the end of the inning, giving the Crusaders a 8-0 lead after just one inning.

The next two innings were somewhat of a stalemate as both teams struggled to find their rhythm at the plate. However, Jane Anderson commanded the mound for the Crusaders, holding the Falcons without a hit from the second through the fourth innings. As the Crusaders took over in the bottom of the fourth, they snapped out of their slump and exploded once again as they ran up their lead.

Gauthier showed off her athleticism as she stole her way to second after being walked to open the bottom of the fourth inning. Martin would drive a single down the middle of the infield, but would make it all the way to third on the throw, sending Gauthier home for her second run of the game. An error by the Falcons' shortstop allowed Reed to reach first, and then second on the throw as Martin sprinted home for the score.

The Crusaders continued to tack on runs as Dunkel popped up a sacrifice fly to give Reed a chance to reach home once again. The Falcons kept up their sloppy play with a wild pitch that sparked an opportunity for Jenna Gilbert to dash in for the score. A ground out by Emily Theisen would still get her on the stat sheet for an RBI as she batted Toth in for her second run of the morning. The final blow came on yet another wild pitch by the Falcons that gave Littleton the green light to sprint home and give the Crusaders a 14-0 victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 

• Martin went 3-of-4 at the plate, scoring two runs and recording one RBI.
• Littleton was 2-of-3 batting, scoring two runs and recording three RBIs.
• Reed also scored two runs and two RBIs.
• Gilbert and Toth each scored two runs.
• Anderson threw nine strikeouts and allowed just three hits through five innings pitched for the Crusaders.

GAME 2:

As the lead-off for the Crusaders, Gauthier took advantage of two sloppy plays by the Bishops' pitcher. She reached first thanks to getting hit by a pitch, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch soon after. As a single from Toth went straight down the middle of the infield, Gauthier rounded third and didn't look back as she sprinted in for the first run of the game. After reaching third thanks to Toth's single, Gilbert showed off her speed, stealing her way home as the Crusaders went up 2-0 to end the first.

Crusader pitcher Maeson Schlaud threw three strikeouts in the top of the second that allowed Madonna to quickly reclaim the field. Dunkel would claim the first hit with a single down the middle, before quickly stealing second on the next throw. Gauthier would rattle off a powerful hit that was good enough for a double that sent Dunkel home. Gauthier would score herself on the throw, once again showing off her wheels as she rounded third and made it all the way back home to give Madonna a 4-0 lead.

After a few quiet innings, things picked up once again for the Crusaders in the bottom of the sixth as they ran away with the victory. After being walked, Dunkel would once again steal her way to second. Emily Biggott singled up the middle on the next at bat and Dunkel would do the rest, using her athleticism to book it home for the score. A single by Reed to right field was enough to get both Gauthier and Jenalee Herbon home as the Crusaders continued to climb late in the game. Toth would officially ice the Bishops with a single up the middle, batting in Reed and securing the 8-0 Crusader victory to end their spring break trip.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 

• Gauthier was an astounding 3-of-3 with three runs and one RBI.
• Toth was 3-of-4 batting and brought in two RBIs.
• Dunkel scored two runs for the Crusaders and stole two bases.
• Maeson Schlaud allowed just three hits and threw out six batters, pitching all six innings for the Crusaders.

UP NEXT:

The Crusaders will journey back to Michigan as they prepare for their home opener: a two-day, four game series against Trinity International University (Ill.) beginning Saturday, March 18th at 1:00 pm.