ADRIAN, Mich. -- The Siena Heights softball team split the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) doubleheader against Cornerstone on Saturday afternoon. The two-game series was the final set of home games for the Saints during the 2021 season. Game one went to the visitors, 11-3, while game two was a 7-6 decision for the Saints after nine innings of play. Haley Rose led the way for the Saints going 5-9 at the plate for the afternoon.
THE BASICS
Final Scores: Siena Heights split with Cornerstone, 3-11 & 7-6 (9-innings)
Location: Adrian, Michigan (Christensen Memorial Field)
Records: Siena Heights (16-11-1, 7-6-1 WHAC), Cornerstone (17-15, 9-11 WHAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Two errors by the Saint defense allowed two runs in the opening inning. The Golden Eagles then capitalized on two doubles to bring four additional runs home to take the 6-0 lead. Kelsey Uhl hit a sacrifice fly to left field in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to five runs for Siena Heights.
Uhl was clutch again in the 3rd-inning after she hit an RBI double to bring Sam Hill home and inch closer to Cornerstone, 6-2.
Lily Guerra and Hill executed a double steal that brought Hill across the plate in the bottom half of the 5th-inning to put the score at 7-3, but the Golden Eagles would hold SHU scoreless for the remainder of the game while tallying four more runs for the 11-3 win.
Cornerstone scored a run in the first inning of game two for the early 1-0 lead. That lead was erased by Rose who belted a two-run homer that gave the Saints their first lead of the afternoon 2-1 at the end of the 1st-inning.
Tori Harding extended the SHU advantage in the second with a triple. An error by CU gave her home plate and the score was 3-1, Siena Heights.
An RBI double by Cornerstone cut the SHU lead in half, 3-2, at the top of the 6th-inning. An error with the bases loaded brought Maddie Herrera and Harding home to push the lead to 5-2 for the Saints in the 6th-inning. Three batters later, Hill singled and advanced on an error while Janelle Krueger crossed the plate for the 6-2 lead.
The visitors battled back in the seventh with a 4-run showing to knot things up at six and force extra innings. The Saints threatened in the eighth with runners on first and third with one out, but Hill grounded into a double play and the game moved to the ninth. Siena's defense held in the top half after a double put a Golden Eagle in scoring position. Herrera smacked a walk-off single that scored Jordan Green and ended the game with a Saints win.
TOP SAINTS
Hitting
• Hill (2-3), Guerra (2-4), and Harding (2-3) each had two hits in game one. Hill scored three runs and was walked once.
• Uhl tallied a hit while also having the only two RBIs for Siena in the opener.
• Rose had four of her five hits in game two after a 4-5 performance at the plate. She also led the team with two RBIs in the contest.
• Herrera was three-for-five and had the game-winning RBI.
Pitching
• Uhl (L) pitched game one. She gave up 12 hits, five earned runs, and struck out two in the losing effort.
• Green (W) earned the win in game two after a nine-inning, nine strikeout showing. She surrendered 11 hits and three earned runs.
THE OPPOSITION
Hitting
• Bailey Anson and Kailin Hurrle led the team with three RBIs in game one.
• Kat Johnson led the way in game two with three hits and two RBIs.
Pitching
• Mikayla Meade (W) allowed 10 hits, two earned runs, and registered a strikeout in the win.
• Johnson pitched seven innings to get the start in game two. She gave up 10 hits and four earned runs. Abby Nachazel was given the loss in extras.
UP NEXT
The Saints hit the road for the final game of the regular season on Sunday, May 2. The team will go to Ann Arbor to face Concordia (Mich.) in a WHAC doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.
