TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Siena Heights softball team split its games Sunday at the Tucson Invitational Games. The Saints opened the day with a 17-3 win over Saint Mary (Neb.) before falling to Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), 5-4.
SHU will return to action Monday with two more games against Jamestown (N.D.) and Northwestern (Iowa).
Game one: SHU 17, Saint Mary 3 (5 innings)
The Saints took a 3-0 lead through two innings and then opened the lead up with an 8-run third and 6-run fourth.
Courtnee Chappetta batted 3-for-4 with a double, one run and four RBI. Kat Moreau added a 3-for-3 game with three runs and three RBI.
Shyann Truax was 2-for-2 with three RBI, Sam Spicer went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Ellie Thelen finished 2-for-4 with three runs.
Truax drew a bases-loaded walk to get SHU on the board in the first. In the second, Faith Breinager hit a sacrifice fly and Chappetta ripped an RBI single.
During the third, Truax, Moreau and Ally Frank had RBI singles. Spicer smashed an RBI double and Chappetta hit a 3-run double. Eva Curtis tacked on a sac fly.
The momentum continued into the fourth as Moreau plated two runs with a single. Truax had an RBI double in the inning while Spicer and Brenna Nurenburg provided RBI singles.
Truax was the winning pitcher. She gave up three runs on five hits while recording four strikeouts and three walks.
Saint Mary scored its runs on a solo home run by Daisy Lowther and a 2-run homer by Macy Homes.
Game two: Dakota Wesleyan 5, SHU 4
Dakota Wesleyan came from behind in the top of the seventh, taking the lead for good on a solo home run by Lena McCoy.
Truax (double) went 3-for-4 at the plate with one run and one RBI. Chappetta (double), Spicer, Maddie Herrera and Lyndsey Pena had two-hit games.
The Saints took a 3-1 lead in the first as Truax and Spicer smacked RBI singles in the inning.
After DWU drew even at 3-3, Pena had an RBI single in the fifth for SHU's final run.
Dakota Wesleyan tied the game on a sac fly before McCoy's round-tripper.
Aila Johnson started in the circle and tossed 6 1/3 innings before Truax got the final two outs. Johnson was tagged for four earned runs on seven hits. She had a season-high six strikeouts and walked two batters.
