ADRIAN Mich. – The Adrian College softball team split its doubleheader against cross-town rival Siena Heights Thursday. In game one, Siena would defeat Adrian 10-8 and in game two, the Bulldogs would win 11-3 via mercy. In the first matchup of the evening, Paige Stein led all players with three hits. In Thursday's final contest of the doubleheader, sophomore pitcher Macee Schang recorded her ninth win of the season, while Karson Bagelmann, Meghan Lupu, Paige Stein, and Maggie Leveille each recorded two hits. The four Bulldogs combined for eight hits in game two.
GAME ONE
The first inning of game one's doubleheader saw plenty of offense Thursday, as both teams combined for a total of six runs in the inning. During the top half of the inning, Siena Heights would threaten early as they loaded the bases with nobody out after recording a walk, a hit, and advance on a Bulldog error. The Saints were able to score two runs during the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead over the Bulldogs. Later in the bottom half of the inning, Adrian College rallied by scoring four runs off of three hits to take a 4-2 lead over their cross-town foes.
After Bagglemann walked, Lupu would spark the Bulldog offense by doubling to center field, driving in Bagelmann. Later, Leveille singled to right center to advance Hailey DeChalk advanced to third and scored Stein and Lupu to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead. After Leveille advanced to second on an error by the Siena center fielder, Ava Ferrarelli grounded out to second base advancing Leveille to third and scoring DeChalk to conclude the scoring.
The Bulldogs would score four runs for the second straight inning Thursday afternoon to take an 8-2 lead over the Saints. During the bottom of the second, Bagelmann, Stein, Leveille, and Genna Marasco recorded hits, while Ferrarelli and Brynn McKay saw walks. After her single, Bagelmann remained aggressive on the base pass and followed up her hit with a stolen base. Later in the inning with one out, catcher Paige Stein doubled to right center and scored Bagelmann to improve Adrian's lead to 5-2. After Adrian saw its second out of the inning, Leveille singled to right center and drove in Stein to improve the Bulldog lead to four. Later in the inning, Ferrarelli and McKay walked, bringing Marasco up to the plate. Marasco delivered and singled, helping Adrian to its largest lead of the game at six with an 8-2 advantage after scoring both Ferrarelli and Leveille during the play.
During the top of the sixth and seventh innings, Siena Heights would rally and eventually took a 10-8 lead over the Bulldogs heading into the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday. In the sixth inning, the Saints scored three runs and in the seventh, Siena Heights piled on four runs to create a two run advantage over Adrian College. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bulldogs were unable to score and Siena took game one early Thursday afternoon.
GAME TWO
In the final game of Thursday's doubleheader, Siena Heights built off of its momentum from game one, scoring two runs in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the inning, Bagelmann took matters into her own hands and led off with a triple for the Bulldogs to begin the inning. Bagelmann's teammate Stein followed with a walk, putting the runners at the corners with nobody out. Adrian College base runners Bagelmann and Stein would steal bases, with Bagelmann cutting the two-run deficit in half. Up next, in her first at-bat of game two, DeChalk would clear the bases with her first home run of the season and the third of her career and the Bulldogs would take a 3-2 lead over their cross-town rivals. Later in the top half of the third inning, Siena Heights would respond with a run to tie the game at three all.
In the following inning during the bottom of the fourth, the Bulldogs would score five runs to take a commanding five-run lead over the Saints. The Bulldog offense would come alive in the bottom of the fourth after McKay led off the inning with a walk. McKay eventually scored off of a wild pitch, with Marasco. Later in the inning, Lupu and Stein would convert on back-to-back hits and Adrian College would quickly score three runs and double up the Saints 6-3. Building off of their momentum, Adrian College would score their fifth run of the inning. Later, Stein would advance to third on a wild pitch and DeChalk would walk to bring Leveille up to bat. Leveille would conclude the inning with a double to center field, scoring DeChalk and Stein to give the Bulldogs an 8-3 lead.
During the bottom of the sixth, Adrian College would score yet again and lead by six after a single by Bagelmann, which brought in Marasco during the play. The Bulldogs would secure their 10th run of the game after Lupu singled to center field, scoring Flesia Borck and advancing Bagelmann. After a walk by Mackenzie Melody to load the bases, Johnson singled to center field and drove in Bagelmann and Adrian would swiftly win the game via mercy Thursday evening.
Up Next
The Adrian College softball team will travel to Angola, Indiana to face Trine University this weekend on Saturday, April 8 to begin conference play. Game one will take place at 1:00PM, while game two will follow at 3:00 PM.
