NOTRE DAME, Ind. - At the Purcell Athletic Fields, the Adrian College softball team closed out its extended weekend with a conference doubleheader against the Belles of Saint Mary's College.
 
Game 1: Adrian 3, Saint Mary's 11 (5 Innings)

Despite striking for the game's first run in the opening inning, the visitors could not withstand early attack by the homestanding Belles, eventually falling in five innings, 11-3.

The bats were swinging from the start for the black and gold, as Hailey DeChalk, Maggie Leveille and Ava Ferrarelli each led the first frame with hits to the outfield, with the latter of three scoring DeChalk to push Adrian ahead 1-0.

However, in the subsequent half-inning, Saint Mary's stormed to the lead with a half-dozen runs, creating an early hole for the Bulldogs to try and climb out of.

Katie Connolly eventually got the 'Dogs trimming into the deficit in the third inning, sending a double into left field to plate Lauren McCulligh. Then, in the following inning, a deep flyball by Leveille gave enough time and space for Savannah Godfrey to tag-up and score from third base, cutting the home side's lead down to 6-3.

Saint Mary's, nevertheless, did not let Adrian get any closer, and went on to add five runs over their plate appearances in the fourth and fifth innings to secure a mercy-ruled victory.

Offensively, Connolly and Godfrey paced the Bulldogs with two hits each, including two multi-base hits from Connolly.
 
Game 2: Adrian 4, Saint Mary's 13 (5 Innings)

The second of Saturday's doubleheader got off to a slower start, with both teams picking up a hit each in the first inning before being held silent in the second.

In the third thing, though, the Belles found their spark, popping for three runs on four hits, and then eventually tacking on four more in the top leg of the fourth to take a 7-0 advantage.

Paige Stein got the 'Dogs on the board in the next half-inning, driving a double to right-center field to score Brynn McKay and Connolly, and slice the deficit to five runs.

Saint Mary's kept the pressure on full throttle in what would prove to be the final inning of the day, rallying off six in the fifth frame to balloon its advantage to 13-2.

The 'Dogs mustered up their last pair of the runs in their last at-bat when McKay connected on two-out, two-run RBI-double to left-center field, bringing around Makenzie Johnson and Connolly, but it was too little, too late.
 

In six games between Thursday and Saturday, DeChalk finished with a team-high 0.611 batting average and 11 hits, while Connolly muscled 10 hits, including six doubles en route to a 0.588 mark.

On the rubber, Macee Schang made four appearances for the Bulldogs this weekend, striking out 13 batters in 9.2 innings of work.
 

The Bulldog softball team returns home on Friday to begin its final stretch of home contests, starting with a doubleheader against Alma College.