SYLVANIA, Ohio – The Madonna softball team opened the 2023 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament with a pair of victories on Wednesday night from Pacesetter Park in Ohio. Madonna defeated Aquinas College 5-4 in eight innings in game one, before winning the nightcap over Lawrence Tech University 8-0 in five innings. 

Game 1:

The Crusaders were the ones who drew first blood in the matchup with Aquinas, as in the bottom of the first inning, Mackenzie Ming hit a solo home run to left center field to put Madonna up 1-0. The Saints early on couldn't figure out the pitching of Maeson Schlaud, but responded in the top of the fourth. An RBI double and RBI single put Aquinas ahead 2-1. 

In the sixth, Madonna came right back, as Autumn Reed hit a three-run home run that scored Gabby Toth and Jenna Gilbert and put the Crusaders back on top. 

Aquinas didn't quit however, and tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the seventh inning with one out.  Madonna was held scoreless in the bottom half of the seventh, so for the second time this season the Crusaders and Saints were headed to extra innings. 

Schlaud held the Saints scoreless in the top of the eighth inning, setting the stage for the bottom half. Kelsi Littleton drew a walk to begin the inning and Jenna Gould came in to pinch run for her. A single to left field by Gilbert moved Gould into scoring position and put Madonna closer to the winning run. The next batter was Toth, and she was able to reach base on a fielder's choice. A bad throw by the Aquinas shortstop allowed Gould to come home on the play and score the winning run and give Madonna a huge 5-4 victory. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 

• WHAC Pitcher of the Year Schlaud won her 20th game of the season, pitching all eight innings for the Crusaders and striking out five batters. 
• Gilbert had two hits.
• Reed's three RBIs led the Madonna offense. 

Game 2:

Madonna overwhelmed LTU right away, scoring seven runs in the bottom of the first inning. Littleton drew a bases loaded walk for the first run of the game, before Gilbert hit a bases loaded RBI single that scored Bailey Martin. Back-to-back wild pitches by the Blue Devils made the score 4-0 Madonna, before Toth drove home Gilbert with an RBI single to make it 5-0. 

The final two runs of the first inning came courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Emily Biggott, and an RBI groundout by Alissa Gauthier. The Crusaders final run of the evening came in the bottom of the third inning, as a sacrifice fly by Martin scored Jessica Dunkel and made it 8-0 as Madonna rolled to the run-rule win. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
 

• Schlaud (21-4) limited the Blue Devils to just two hits and struck out three batters in just three innings of work.
• Gould pitched the final two innings for Madonna, only allowing one LTU hit.
• Dunkel recorded two hits.

UP NEXT:

Fourth-seeded Madonna will take on seventh-seeded Cornerstone University in a winners-bracket game at 2:30 PM Thursday afternoon from Pacesetter Park.

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