Softball Jumps Into Fifth Place After Splitting with Friends

Wichita, Kan.- The University of Saint Mary Softball team traveled to play the Friends Falcons for a doubleheader on Wednesday, resulting in a 4-2 loss and a 5-4 win. The Spires are now 20-16 overall and 905 in conference play. Their game-two win puts them fifth in the KCAC standings.

Game One

Saint Mary took control of the game early, scoring the first two runs. Ally Dias put the ball in play, which allowed Ava Vander Weit to score from third to give the Spires a 1-0 lead. Jessica Strandlund expanded the USM lead with an RBI double in the third inning to make it a 2-0 ball game. Desarae Chavez held the Falcons scoreless through three innings, but a three-run bottom half of the fourth gave Friends their first lead of the day. Friends continued to apply pressure offensively with a solo home run in the fifth to give the Falcons a 4-2 lead over Saint Mary. The Spires were not able to mount a comeback in the later innings and dropped game one 4-2. 

Game Two

A two-run home run in the bottom of the first put Saint Mary down early in game two. The Spires began to chip away in the third inning after an RBI double from Grace Rose to make the score 2-1. Audrey Spelman tied things up in the following inning with a single two right-center that drove in Kate Robinette. In the top of the fifth, Rose gave USM their first lead of the game with a two-run home run. Friend responded in the bottom half of the sixth with two more runs, tying the game a four. A ground ball to the right side of the field from Jessica Strandlund allowed Natalie Bruce to score, giving Saint Mary a 5-4 lead in the eighth.

Up Next

The Spires will be on the road for a weekend doubleheader against Bethel College starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Newton, Kansas.