The Saint Mary softball team went 1-4 at the Friends Tournament in Wichita this weekend. The Spires dropped contests to Doane, Texas Wesleyan, Graceland, and Baker. Saint Mary earned a win over Hastings. The Spires are now 2-13 on the season
The opening game of the tournament came against Doane. The Tigers opened up the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first inning and added two more in the third. The Spires scratched across a run in the fourth, but Doane added five more runs in the fifth to end the game. Paige Stewart started in the pitching circle and allowed four runs on eight hits in two innings pitched. Samantha Torres tossed two scoreless innings, and Katlyn Schiefen allowed five runs on three htis and three walks without recording an out in the fifth. Saint Mary was led offensively in the game by Cassidy Harbert who had two hits. Maddie Barron had one hit and an RBI. The Spires would fall 9-1.
Game two of the tournament was a tighter contest. Torres would start pitching and allowed four runs in three and two thirds innings. Stewart then pitched two and a third innings allowing two runs. Texas Wesleyan scored one run in the first, but the Spires answered with a run of their own in the second. Texas Wesleyan regained the lead in the third with another run then added two runs in the fourth, but Saint Mary scored a pair of runs in the fifth to pull within 4-3. Two more Texas Wesleyan runs in the fifth put the game out of reach for Saint Mary as they fell 6-3. Kaila Trowbridge had two hits to pace the offense. Alana Renshaw, Harbert, and Trowbridge each had an RBI. Renshaw also doubled.
The Spires earned a win in the third game of the tournament by a score of 6-2 over Hastings. Abagail Gonzales started in the pitching circle and allowed just one run on four hits in three and a third innings pitched. Steward completed the game with three and two thirds innings pitched allowing just one run on two hits. The Spires broke out for 14 hits and six runs in the win. Torres was two for four with two RBI and two runs scored. Hailey Reece, Harbert, and Schiefen each had two hits as well. Harbert also had a double.
Saint Mary would drop a tough one in the fourth game of the tournament as they fell to Graceland 2-1. Torres pitched a complete game allowing just two runs while striking out three and walking one. The Saint Mary offense missed scoring opportunities as they managed seven hits but scored just one run. Torres and Renshaw each had two hits. Torres and Schiefen both doubled. Graceland led 2-0 before Saint Mary scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Spires could draw no closer in the loss.
The final game of the tournament was an 8-3 loss to Baker. Baker would score three times in the top of the first, but Saint Mary responded with two runs in the bottom of the second to pull within a run of the Wildcats. Four more Baker runs in the fourth put the game out of reach. The Wildcats and the Spires each scored once more in the game, but the Spires would take the loss. Torres finished three for four at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. Alyssa Cervantes was three for three with three singles.
The Saint Mary softball team will be back in action on Friday in a double header at MidAmerica Nazarene beginning at 4pm. The Pioneers are 7-4 on the season.
