(Howell, MI) - CUAA softball faced Defiance College on Thursday afternoon at the neutral site of Lake Trust Stadium. The Cardinals earned an 11-3 mercy rule win in game one and secured a high-scoring 16-12 victory in game two.
GAME ONE – CUAA 11, DC 3 – five innings
Paige Anderson pitched a complete game with four strikeouts. Katie Tobias opened scoring in the first inning with an RBI single to drive in Payton Lewis.
The Cardinals plated four runs in the second inning, starting with a 2-RBI bases-loaded single from Payton Lewis. Megan Martin added a sacrifice bunt to score Summer Brady and Katie Tobias hit her second RBI single once again driving in Payton Lewis.
In the third inning, Summer Brady used an RBI groundout to send Elyse Brittain home. Defiance scored two runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth to trim the lead to 6-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Hannah Duchene started things out with an RBI single to drive in Maddy Greuter. Lauren Rhodea reached home on an error and Megan Martin used a sacrifice fly to score Morgan Scott. Summer Brady made it home on a double steal with Payton Lewis. Katie Tobias closed out the game with her third RBI single to score Lewis and clinch the 11-3 mercy rule win.
GAME TWO – CUAA 16, DC 12
Kendall Kahl started game two on the mound, making two strikeouts in 2.2 innings. Defiance took a 3-0 lead after the top of the first. In the bottom half, Katie Tobias hit an RBI single to send Payton Lewis home.
In the second inning, Payton Lewis hit a sacrifice fly to score Morgan Scott. Defiance countered with two runs in the top of the third inning to extend their lead. Elyse Brittain closed out the third inning on the mound, going one inning with one strikeout. In the bottom half, Faith Cramton hit a solo home run. Morgan Scott then crushed a three-run home to put the Cardinals in front. Emma Thompson added an RBI single to drive in Summer Brady.
Defiance retook the lead with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Hannah Duchene pitched the final 3.1 innings, earning the win with two strikeouts. In the bottom of the fourth, Faith Cramton started a 9-run inning with a solo home run. Morgan Scott laid down a well-placed bunt to score Maddy Greuter. Megan Martin hit a bases-loaded single to drive in Morgan Scott for the lead. Katie Tobias extended the lead with a 2-RBI ground-rule double. Tobias and Megan Martin later reached home on an error. Maddy Greuter and Hannah Duchene capped the inning with RBI singles.
Defiance made a small rally with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Cardinals eventually claimed the final out to earn the 16-12 victory.
CUAA softball will host Cornerstone University this Saturday, April 5th, for a doubleheader starting at 1pm.
