LEAVENWORTH, KAN. - The Saint Mary Spires put on a stellar performance sweeping both ends of a doubleheader against Bethel College at home. The Spires showcased strong offense and solid pitching, securing decisive victories with scores of 9-1 in the first game and 7-4 in the second.
Game 1: Spires Soar to 9-1 Victory
The Spires came out firing in the opening game, exploding for five runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looking back. Audrey Spellman got the offense rolling, singling in a run after Alexis McDaniel's double and stolen base put runners in scoring position. McDaniel followed with an RBI groundout, and Gianna Paape's triple brought in another run. Brooke Gerling's sacrifice fly and Grace Rose's RBI triple capped off the explosive inning, giving the Spires an early 5-0 lead.
Bethel managed to scratch a run across in the top of the second, but the Spires responded in the bottom half as Jessica Strandlund's fielder's choice drove in McDaniel. Saint Mary added two more runs in the sixth inning, with Spellman singling home Rose and McDaniel tripling to left-center, bringing in both Spellman and Briana Solis.
Grace Rose was dominant in the circle for the Spires, pitching a complete game and allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out four. Offensively, the Spires were led by McDaniel, who had three hits, including a double and a triple, and two RBIs. Spellman also had two hits and an RBI, while Strandlund contributed two RBIs.
Game 2: Spires Secure 7-4 Win in Afternoon Contest
The second game saw Bethel put up more of a fight, but the Spires ultimately prevailed with a 7-4 victory. Saint Mary took an early lead in the bottom of the second inning when Desarae Chavez tripled home Rose, and Natalie Bruce followed with an RBI groundout.
Bethel responded in the top of the third, scoring three runs to take a 3-2 lead. However, the Spires answered emphatically in the bottom of the fifth, scoring three runs of their own. Strandlund's RBI groundout tied the game, and Paape's triple brought in Alexis Hughes to give the Spires the lead. Rose then singled home Paape, extending the advantage to 5-3.
Saint Mary added two unearned runs in the sixth inning, capitalizing on a Bethel error. Bethel managed to score a run in the top of the seventh, but Allie Cox, who came in relief for Chavez, shut the door to secure the win for the Spires.
Offensively, Paape led the way for Saint Mary with a triple and an RBI, while Rose added a double and an RBI. Chavez also contributed a triple and an RBI. Chavez earned the win in the circle, pitching 2.2 innings and allowing three runs on five hits while striking out four. Cox pitched 4.1 strong innings in relief, allowing just one run on two hits and striking out three.
Up Next:
With these two decisive victories, the Saint Mary Spires improve their overall record to 17-17 and their conference record to 5-11. They will look to carry this momentum into their next matchup on Tuesday, April 8th, as they travel to face Southwestern College with the first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM CDT.
