CSM drops pair in Arizona
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Indiana Wesleyan (IN) | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 17 | 0 |
|
College of Saint Mary (NE) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
TUCSON, Ariz. – College of Saint Mary dropped a pair of softball games on Thursday in the Tucson Invitational, falling 16-1 to powerful Indiana Wesleyan University in six innings and 9-3 to William Penn University.
After a rough start to the day, Flames Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said her club showed some improvement in the William Penn contest.
"We played a lot better in that game,'' she said. "We were definitely hitting better. Even some of our outs were deep line drives to the outfield.''
CSM scored twice in the third inning. Ella Christensen singled and eventually scored on Kayla Reed's single. Reed then stole second and third before scoring on Kynzee McFadden's ground out.
The Flames (3-9 overall) added a run in the fourth when Maycee Hays singled, took second on Haley Anderson's second sacrifice bunt of the game and scored on Allyson Lynch's double.
It was a 3-3 game heading into the bottom of the fourth, when the Statesmen (8-4) broke it open with five runs.
CSM had six hits in the game, by six different players.
"Tori (Placzek) had a great game defensively at first,'' Bray said. Placzek had a nice scoop for an out, caught a ball in foul territory and snagged a line drive.
Bray said pitchers Shaylynn Campbell and McFadden had plenty of good moments in the game.
In the opener, CSM was victimized by a talented Indiana Wesleyan squad. The Wildcats (5-5) were ranked in the preseason and received votes in the latest NAIA national poll.
"Indiana Wesleyan is good,'' Bray said. "We waited too long to get our bats going and make adjustments at the plate.''
The Flames scored in the fourth when Anderson doubled and then scored on Lynch's single.
"All of our pitchers were working hard,'' Bray noted.
CSM also played a JV game with William Penn on Thursday, losing by the same 9-3 score. Bray said Jacey Zimmerman went 2 for 4 and pitched well.
The Flames will be back in action on Saturday in Tucson, meeting a pair of Montana schools in University of Providence at 10 a.m. Central time and Carroll College at noon Central.