LIVONIA, Mich. - The No. 12 Madonna Crusaders Softball team (17-6, 0-0) hosted the No. 22 Cougars of Saint Xavier (Ill.) (15-6, 0-0). The Crusaders would split with the Cougars, taking game one 9-3 and falling in game two 4-5. 


GAME 1: 

Camille Oyer would get the start on the mound for the Crusaders going all seven innings giving up eight hits, with three strikeouts on 97 pitches. After a scoreless first inning, Oyer would give up all three runs in the second inning but would then be lights out the rest of the way giving up just four hits for the rest of the game. 

In game one the Cougars would start off the scoring in the top of the second picking up three runs. The Crusaders would answer in the bottom of the second picking up two runs of their own off an Ella Thomas single and a Faith Peschke single with an RBI to bring the game to 3-2.

From there it was all Crusaders, picking up two runs in the third and five more runs in the fourth to blow the game open.  An error and a wild pitch would bring across two runs in the bottom of the third to give the Crusaders a 4-3 lead. Then in the bottom of the fourth it was a barrage of hits starting with Brynn Anteau that would bring across Regan Finkbeiner. Then Ashley Rosiewicz would follow that with a single of her own to bring across Anteau. Then after another error from the Cougars that would keep the inning going with two outs, a bases loaded walk and a Thomas single would give the Crusaders a 9-3 lead and the victory. 


 INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 

• Anteau led the way going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
• Thomas went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs.
• Peschke went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

GAME 2: 

Game two was much of the same story with the Cougars scoring first but this time in the top of the first on a single. The Cougars would then pick up two more runs in the top of the second to give them and early 3-0 lead. 

The Crusaders offense would not respond in the bottom of the first but would find their rhythm again in the third, picking up two runs off a Rylee Fitzpatrick single that would bring across two to cut into the Cougar lead and make it a 3-2 ballgame. 

The Crusaders would then tie the game up in the bottom of the fifth off a huge double from Anteau that would bring across Finkbeiner to tie the game up at three a piece.

Then in the top of the 7th the Crusaders were in a heavy shift for a slap hitter who laid down a bunt that was followed by an errant throw that rolled all the way to the right field wall, allowing the runner to go all the way around with a two run inside the park home run that gave the Cougars a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh.

The Crusaders started the bottom of the seventh with a big single from Alissa Gauthier, sparking life into a comeback for the Crusaders. After a flyout allowed Gauthier to move to second, Anteau would step up with another big hit for the Crusaders, with an RBI single into right center field to cut the lead to one with two outs remaining. Unfortunately, the Crusaders were unable to pick up the tying run as that would be the last baserunner of the game and the Crusaders would fall 5-4.

Jane Anderson got the start on the mound in game two and had a similar start to Oyer giving up all her runs in the first two innings but allowed no more runs until the error in the 7th. Anderson would go 6.1 innings giving up 10 hits with seven strikeouts on 123 pitches. Laci Harris would enter the game to finish the final two outs of the seventh inning picking up a flyout in a strikeout in her two batters faced. 


INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 

• Anteau finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a double.
• Gauthier finished 2-for-4 and a stolen base.
• Fitzpatrick finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs.

UP NEXT

The Crusaders will be back in action on Friday, March 21st for another home doubleheader against Lawrence Tech to open WHAC conference play. Game one's first pitch is set for 2:30 PM and Game two is set to start at 4:30 PM. 


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