ST. LOUIS – The Saints picked up a pair of wins in their first Great Lakes Valley Conference games on Sunday afternoon, downing Quincy University 3-2 in game one and 3-0 in game two.
Game 1 Recap
Maryville found themselves down early after the Hawks scratched across a couple of runs in the bottom of the second. A single and a hit-by-pitch put runners on for a Mykah Hurley RBI single.
After another HBP to load the bases, Head Coach
Courtney Conley handed the ball to sophomore
Reagan Smith out of the bullpen. Smith retired the next batter with a strikeout, followed by an RBI single that ended the inning after a runner got thrown out at third base trying to stretch it.
The Saints responded immediately in the top of the third. A pair of singles and a
Tori Forbeck stolen base led to an eventual sacrifice fly from junior shortstop
Taylor Duff. A second run scored on
Emersen Heron's single into centerfield to tie the game up at two.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Saints took their first lead of the afternoon after
Taylor Shingler led off with a single and came around to score on Heron's double to right-center field.
One run was all that Smith would need to finish off the victory. The Wichita, Kansas native rolled through the visiting lineup to seal a 3-2 win, finishing with six innings pitched, eight strikeouts, four hits allowed, and no runs.
Game 2 Recap
Hoping to avoid falling into another early hole, the Saints started the scoring in the top of the first inning when Heron singled home Shingler. Corona stepped up a few batters later and drove in Heron after reaching base on a fielder's choice.
Emerson Heron took the circle for Maryville in the bottom half of the first and retired the side 1-2-3 to send her on a string of five consecutive hitless innings to begin the game.
With the score still sitting 2-0, Corona led off the top of the sixth with a double and later scored when
Lexi Touchette took a 2-2 offering and ripped it into left field for an RBI double.
The Hawks picked up their first and only hit of the ballgame in the bottom of the sixth on a bunt single. Heron recorded the next three outs consecutively to end the threat.
The freshman from Edmond, Oklahoma, finished off her masterful one-hit shutout in the bottom of the seventh after retiring the side in order to pick up her fourth win of the season. In total, she faced just one batter over the minimum, collecting four strikeouts along the way.
Game 1
Winning Pitcher: Reagan Smith (1-3)
Losing Pitcher: Bailee Highbarger (0-4)
Game 2
Winning Pitcher: Emersen Heron (4-1)
Losing Pitcher: Jayle Jennings (1-1)
Game 1 Hitting Leaders:
Emersen Heron: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Erin Sammelmann: 1-3, 2B, BB
Game 2 Hitting Leaders:
Lexi Touchette: 3-3, 2 2B, RBI
Emersen Heron: 2-4, RBI, R
Emily Corona: 1-3, 2B, R
Records:
Maryville: 7-8, 2-0 GLVC
Quincy: 4-13, 0-2 GLVC
What's Next?
Conference play continues on Monday, March 14 as the Saints take on Truman State University at the Maryville Athletic Complex. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.
