ST. LOUIS – Maryville University softball split the first Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader of the season with the University of Illinois Springfield on Saturday afternoon. Chayse Ramey through a complete game in a 7-3 game one win before the Saints were handed a walk-off 7-6 loss in game two.
 
Game One Recap
UIS jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the first inning, but the Saints picked up their starter Chayse Ramey in the top of the third. Taylor Duff led off with a walk and her pinch runner Julia Lopanec came in to score on Melanie Nelson's infield single. Nelson also scored after an error by the pitcher.
 
The Prairie Stars tied it up in the bottom of the third, but another UIS error handed the Saints a 3-2 lead in the fourth. With Duff still on second, Emily Corona ripped a single into center field for the fourth run of the game.
 
Ramey continued to hold the home team to two runs until an RBI from Kelsie Burrows pulled the Stars to within one.
 
Clinging to a one-run lead in the top of the seventh, the Saints added three more runs on RBI from Lenon and Brooklyn Moore. Looking to close out the game in the bottom half, Ramey allowed runners to reach second and third with one out before getting a strikeout and a flyout to wrap up a 7-3 final.
 
The complete game gave Ramey her 10^th of the season and improved her record to 7-7. In total, she allowed six hits, two earned runs, and picked up six strikeouts.
 
Winning Pitcher: Chayse Ramey (7-7)
Losing Pitcher: T. Zawacki (3-4)
  
Batting Leaders
Erin Wurst: 3-for-4, 2B
Melanie Nelson: 1-for-4, RBI, R, SB, BB
Taylor Duff: 1-for-3, RBI, R, BB
 
Game Two Recap
Maryville kept the momentum heading into the top of the first getting four runs on one hit in the inning. Lenon highlighted the frame with her two-RBI single to left field that plated Emma O'Flaherty and Erin Wurst.
 
Two walks to lead off the bottom of the first paved the way for three Prairie Star runs to pull them within one.
 
Emily Corona homered with two outs in the top of the fourth to extend the Saints' lead to 5-3, but an RBI double from Adi Rumler and an RBI single from Sophie Margelot in the bottom of the fifth tied the game.
 
The Saints reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth when Kylie Swinney singled, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a wild pitch. Ella Brinkley erased the lead once again with her third home run of the season to tie the game at 5-5.
 
UIS held the Saints quiet in the top of the seventh and ended the game in walk-off fashion on a Margelot single in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Winning Pitcher: A. McClure (2-2)
Losing Pitcher: Emily Senjan (0-1)
  
Batting Leaders
Emily Corona: 2-for-3, HR, RBI, BB
Mandi Lenon: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, R, BB
Jenna Kosnoff: 1-for-4, RBI
 
Records:
Maryville: 9-16, 1-1 GLVC
UIS: 17-11, 1-1 GLVC
 
What's Next?
The Saints wrap up the weekend with another GLVC doubleheader against Quincy University on Sunday, March 17. The first pitch is set for noon.
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