ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Emersen Heron pitched the Saints to a pair of wins over Lewis University to open Great Lakes Valley Conference play on Sunday. Melanie Nelson hit a walk-off single to back up Heron's complete game in the first match before an 8-4 Maryville win in game two.
 

Game One Recap
Emersen Heron and Delaney Garden were locked in on the rubber from the start of the game. They matched each other's scoreless frames through the fifth inning.
 
Three consecutive singles off Heron in the top of the sixth brought home a run and put runners on with one out. The sophomore pitcher got the next two outs to work out of the jam with only one run allowed. Maryville threatened in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runners on, but Garden got a pinch hitter to pop out to end the frame.
 
Heron again kept the Flyers scoreless in the top of the seventh and led off the bottom half by reaching base on an error. Tori Forbeck came in to pinch run and moved to second on Mandi Lenon's sacrifice bunt. Lexi Touchette then stepped up and doubled down the left-field line to knot the game at one.
 
Garden got the next batter to fly out, allowing the pinch runner Callie Harrison to move to third base. Now with two outs, Melanie Nelson stepped up and hit a 2-2 pitch into left to bring home Harrison for a walk-off 2-1 win.
 
Winning Pitcher: Emersen Heron (6-3)
Losing Pitcher: D. Garden (6-3)­_­
  
Batting Leaders
Melanie Nelson: 2-for-4, RBI, 2 SB, Walk-off single
Lexi Touchette: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
Emily Corona: 1-for-3
 

Game Two Recap
Kylie Swinney got the Saints going in the second game with an RBI single up the middle to plate Taylor Shingler who singled earlier in the inning. In the second, Lenon tripled to lead off the inning and came home to score on an RBI single from Touchette.
 
After opening her start with a pair of scoreless innings, the Flyers got to Reagan Smith in the third for a pair of runs to tie the game. Maryville responded in the third with a trio of runs, including RBI singles from Macy Miller and Taylor Duff.
 
Lewis got another run back in the top of the fourth and loaded the bases with one out to force Courtney Conley to go to the bullpen. Heron came out of the pen and got the first batter to put a ball on the ground. A run came home on the play on a force out at second before a second runner trying to score got thrown out to end the frame.
 
The Saints piled on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to open up an 8-4 lead. Heron continued to deal, making the four-run lead hold up by retiring her last nine batters faced in consecutive order. Heron improved to 7-3 in 2023 while the Saints moved to 14-10 overall.
 
Winning Pitcher: Emersen Heron (7-3)
Losing Pitcher: P. Wuske (3-2)
  
Batting Leaders
Taylor Shingler: 3-for-4, 3 R, 2 SB
Lexi Touchette: 3-for-3, 2 RBI, R
Mandi Lenon: 1-for-2, 3B, R

Records:
Maryville: 14-10, 2-0 GLVC
Lewis: 17-8, 0-2 GLVC

What's Next?
The Saints take on the University of Illinois Springfield in a doubleheader on Monday, March 20, at the Maryville Athletic Complex. The first pitch is set for noon.