By: Brian Larson, SID
Bismarck, ND – Erin Keen and Emily Sinclair both hurled shutouts and gave up a combined five hits to spearhead a University of Mary sweep of Bemidji State University. The Marauders returned to their winning ways with a 7-0 win in game one and an 8-0 victory in the nightcap.
The two wins push the Marauders into sixth place in the Northern Sun with one weekend of conference play remaining. The top eight teams qualify for the NSIC tournament.
Keen started the day with a nine strikeout performance in the Marauders (21-16 overall, 12-10 NSIC) 7-0 win. The freshman from Boise, ID, held the Beavers (10-31, 3-19) to just two hits and three walks over seven scoreless innings. Keen never allowed more than one hitter to reach base in any inning and only twice did a runner reach as far as second base.
The Marauders scored all the runs they needed in the first inning. Jenna Button reached on an error and was forced out on a ground ball by Jessica Alvarado. After a single by Melissa Gonzalez, Alvarado scored the first run of the day when the catcher’s throw sailed into left field on a double steal. After a strikeout, Kristin Ormsby popped a double down the right field line to score Gonzalez. Two wild pitches would bring home Ormsby and the Marauders led 3-0.
Both pitchers would lock in and keep the scoreboards clean until the Marauders scored four unearned runs in the sixth. Ormsby started the rally with a two-out triple to right. She scored when the Beavers booted a ground ball by Sami Antolin. Brittany Hadley and Brooke Hageness singled home runs in the sixth and another scored on an error as the Marauders increased their lead to 7-0.
Ormsby led the Marauders attack with a double and a triple, two runs scored and an RBI.
The Marauders bashed their way to an 8-0 win in the second game as six of the 12 U-Mary hits went for extra bases.
Allison Brown was a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, three RBI and a run scored. Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Hadley homered and had two hits. Hageness also added two hits, scored once and drove in a run.
A two-out single by Gonzalez in the first was followed by back to back doubles by Brown and Ormsby and the Marauders jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Hageness singled home a run in the second to boost the Marauders advantage to 3-0.
Hadley homered to lead off the fourth inning and consecutive two-run singles by Gonzalez and Brown shortened the game to five innings and seal the sweep for the Marauders.
Sinclair improved to 10-5 with her third shutout of the season. In five innings she struck out seven and allowed three hits and no walks. It was her 12th complete game in 15 starts.
U-Mary next plays at Minot State University on Wednesday, April 18.
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