St. Louis - For the first time in program history, the Maryville softball team has started Great Lakes Valley Conference play with six straight wins as the Saints swept Rockhurst Saturday. The Saints took the opener 5-4 and claimed the second contest 7-3.
 
Rockhurst game one recap
The Saints scored twice in the bottom of the first when Emily Corona tripled in Taylor Shingler and Taylor Duff. In the second Shingler lashed an RBI base hit up the middle to drive home Tori Forbeck. Emersen Heron smacked an RBI single to bring in Shingler for a 4-0 lead. Rockhurst tied the game with four runs in the top of the third but neither team scored again until the seventh.
 
Forbeck started the bottom of the seventh by reaching base after she got hit by a pitch. Shingler put down a sacrifice bunt to move her teammate into scoring position. However, the Hawks misplayed the bunt for an error that allowed Forbeck to sprint all the way around the bases for the winning run.
 
Winning Pitcher: Reagan Smith (3-3)
Losing Pitcher: Haley Gatica (3-2)
 
Hitting Leaders:
Taylor Shingler: 2-for-3, 2 runs, RBI
Tori Forbeck: 1-for-2, 2 runs
Emily Corona: 1-for-2, 2 RBI
 
Rockhurst game two recap
The Saints pushed across five runs in the first two innings, and Heron kept the Hawks in check to take the second game of the doubleheader. Erin Sammelmann hammered a two-run single to center for a quick 2-0 lead in the first. Melanie Nelson launched a triple to centerfield that brought home Corona for a 3-0 edge. Shingler followed with a bunt single to score Nelson. Taylor Duff's sac fly chased home Forbeck for a 5-0 advantage.
 
The Hawks scored twice in the top of the third but Lexi Touchette had an RBI double in the third. Heron lifted a sac fly that scored Forbeck and a 7-2 lead. Rockhurst pulled one run back but Heron shut down the visitors in the seventh. She recorded eight strikeouts to notch her sixth win of the season.
 
Winning Pitcher: Emersen Heron (6-1)
Losing Pitcher: Anna Stephen (2-3)
 
Hitting Leaders:
Erin Sammelmann: 2-for-2, 2 RBI, run, walk
Emily Corona: 1-for-2, RBI, run, walk
Melanie Nelson: 1-for-3, RBI, run, walk
 
Records:
Maryville: 11-8, 6-0
Rockhurst: 8-12, 3-3
 
What's Next?
The Saints welcome William Jewell to the Maryville Athletic Complex Sunday, March 20, in a Noon first pitch