FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WLCSports.com) – Marian overcame deficits in both games to sweep a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader from Wisconsin Lutheran College by scores of 4-2 and 6-5 on Sunday at Smith Field.
Game 1: Marian 4, Wisconsin Lutheran 2
The Warriors (15-19, 7-11 NACC) struck first in the opening inning when junior
Sommer Krull (New London, Wis.) blasted a leadoff solo homerun for a 1-0 lead.
The Sabres (16-16, 13-7 NACC) answered in the bottom of the third. After back-to-back singles put runners aboard, an RBI single also led to a second run scoring on a throwing error. Later in the inning, MU broke the game open with a two-run homer for a 4-1 advantage.
WLC chipped away in the seventh. Freshman
Katelyn Ruth (Canton, Mich.) started the inning with a double and later scored on freshman
Peyton Crutcher's (Ashwaubenon, Wis.) RBI single, cutting the deficit to 4-2. Wisconsin Lutheran brought the tying run to the plate, but Marian retired the final batter to secure the win.
Krull paced the Warriors offensively, going 2-for-3 with a homerun, a double, and one RBI, while Crutcher finished 1-for-3 with an RBI. Ruth added a pinch-hit double and scored a run, and freshman
Rebecca Reddeman (Canton, Mich.) also recorded a hit. Senior
Emily Brands (Zeeland, Mich.) was solid in relief, tossing two scoreless innings and allowing three hits with one strikeout.
The Sabres collected 10 hits, led by two each from Carissa Heisdorf and Sofia Cerullo. Ariana Schliepp went 1-for-3 with a homerun and two RBIs and Hope Matta finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Sabrina Di Vito earned the complete-game victory, allowing two runs on five hits over seven innings. She struck out four and did not issue a walk in her outing.
Game 2: Marian 6, Wisconsin Lutheran 5
MU scored first in the opening inning with an RBI double for a 1-0 lead.
WLC responded in the second as Crutcher tripled and later scored on freshman
Hannah Stellmacher's (Fariwater, Wis.) RBI groundout to even the score at 1-1.
Wisconsin Lutheran took control over the next two innings. In the third, sophomore
Maritza Martinez (Kenosha, Wis.) singled and came around to score on Ruth's RBI double before Crutcher followed with an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-1. The Warriors extended the advantage to 5-2 in the fourth when Krull ripped a two-run double, scoring Reddeman and freshman
Anna Bracke (Brookfield, Wis.).
Marian answered immediately in the bottom of the fourth with four runs on four hits. The Sabres opened the rally with an RBI single, added a sacrifice fly, and delivered a two-run double that put them ahead 6-5.
Crutcher led WLC offensively, going 2-for-3 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored. Krull added a two-run double and finished with two RBIs, while Ruth went 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI, and a walk. Martinez also scored a run as part of Wisconsin Lutheran's seven-hit effort.
MU was led by Mackenzie Christofferson, who finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Schliepp, who went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Erin Cowe scored three times and went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Alexa Paulsberg added two hits and a run scored. Savanna Knuth earned the win in relief, allowing four runs on four hits over two innings with two walks. McKenna Repovich picked up the save after throwing three scoreless innings without allowing a hit and striking out one.
The Warriors start a six-game regular-season-ending homestand on Wednesday, April 29 against Aurora (21-11, 13-5 NACC). First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Neumann Family Field. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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