Saint Mary softball earned a road sweep of Southwestern on Tuesday by finals of 11-2 and 6-3. The wins move the Spires into sole posession of third place in the KCAC Standings with a 10-6 conference record. Saint Mary is 28-17 on the season.
Ashley Schmidt pitched five solid innings in game one allowing just two runs on five hits. Only one run was earned. Schmidt struck out four and walked none. The Spires logged 15 hits in the win. Ceara Barker was a perfect four for four at the plate including a home run. She scored three times and drove in two runs. Jessica Saldana, Ashlee Vivirito, Samantha Villegas, Mary Silva, and Kristine Ramos each had two hits. Maria West finished with one hit. Saint Mary scored in every inning including five runs in the fourth.
Game two was a tighter contest, but Saint Mary would come away with the 6-3 win. Jordan Petersen allowed three runs on seven hits in three innings pitched. Taryn Kelly took over in the fourth inning with the Spires trailing 3-2 and slammed the door shut on Southwestern pitching four innings and not allowing a run. Kelly would strike out four and walk one batter while allowing just three hits.
Offensively, Saint Mary grinded out 11 hits including six doubles. West finished with three hits, two of them doubles to lead the Spires. Saint Mary trailed 3-2 into the sixth inning. In the sixth, Villegas drilled a one out double. She advanced to third on a deep fly out by Silva. Ramos would get Villegas in on a bunt base hit to tie the game. In the seventh, West doubled home Rebecca Eatough with one out. Saldana doubled home West and Villegas hit her second double in as many innings to plate Saldana. The three run frame gave the Spires a 6-3 lead and eventual victory as Kelly would not allow a run in the bottom of the frame.
Saint Mary finishes KCAC play with a double header against McPherson on Wednesday at home. The games begin at 1pm. A sweep secures a third place finish for the Spires in the KCAC and would get Saint Mary to the 30 win mark for the second consecutive season.
