ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – The Siena Heights softball team swept Rochester in the first Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference double-header of the season, on Wednesday. The Saints took down RC, 9-0, in five innings in game one then cameback to win game two, 8-6.
The Saints (8-6, 2-0 WHAC) had a dominant first inning, scoring six runs with the help of a Racquel Ward grand slam, her second of the year, prior to adding on another three runs in the third inning. The Warriors only managed four hits to the Saints 11 in five innings of action.
Ashley Helmink earned two home runs for the Saints in only three at bats. Kris Forest and Ward also earned a home run for SHU. Four different Warriors tallied a hit.
Ward pitched all five innings for the Saints, striking out three in the shutout of RC. For the Warriors (6-16, 0-2 WHAC), Jonae Bidden started, allowing two home runs before she was relieved by Brooke Snyder, who allowed nine hits and six runs.
Game two was a different story for the Saints, trailing 3-0 after the first inning of action. In the top of the third inning, Siena Heights capitalized on the RC errors, along with a string of SHU singles, to tie it at 3-3. An Ashley Bearden single and Helmink double sent Bearden home to take a 4-3 lead after the fourth inning.
The Warriors responded with a three run fifth inning, which Siena Heights answered with a solo home run from Ward in the sixth. The Saints stood up to the pressure in the seventh inning with a Lexi Agers triple, another Ward home run and an error by the Warriors to give the Saints an 8-6 lead with only a half-inning to play. RC went three up, three down as the Saints earned the sweep.
With two home runs and a single, Ward led Siena Heights with three hits and three RBIs. Helmink was the only Saint to earn two hits as six different Saints managed solo shots. For the Warriors, Skye Donaldson earned three hits and three RBIs while Alexis Evans tallied two hits.
Starting in the circle for SHU, Lauren Best threw 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits and six runs prior to being relieved by Ward in the fifth. Ward finished the game to earn the win with four strikeouts and only one hit. Evans threw a complete game for RC, allowing 11 hits and eight runs, five earned, while striking out one Saint.
Siena Heights will return to action on Monday in their first of five double-headers scheduled for next week. The Saints will travel to crosstown rival Adrian for a 4 p.m. non-conference double-header.