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Posted by Patrick Moore - Softball - Wed, Mar 10, 2010
Ashley Shay
Ashley Shay
Site: Auburndale, Fla. (Lake Myrtle Park)
Game One Score: Madonna University 7, Viterbo University 6 (8 Innings)
Game Two Score: Madonna University 6, University of Great Falls 0
Records: MU 6-0; VU 2-3; UGF 3-5
Next MU event: Thursday, March 11 vs. Judson College (Lincoln Park), 8:00 pm

VITERBO BOX SCORE | GREAT FALLS BOX SCORE

TUCSON, Ariz. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - After having to play extra innings to lock up a win in the day's opener, the No. 14-ranked Madonna University softball team rolled in its night cap to complete a sweep on the day and move to 6-0 on the year with a 7-6, eight inning win over Viterbo University and a 6-0 win over the University of Great Falls on Wednesday (March 10) at Lincoln Park.

VITERBO
In the day's opener, MU (5-0) found itself down 1-0 after the top half of the first but the Crusaders rebounded to push a run across in the bottom of the frame to square the game at one. Senior Brittney Scero (Canton, Mich.) led off and reached on an error before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Arielle Cox (Newport, Mich.). After advancing on a wild pitch, Scero came home on a single from junior Ashley Shay (Garden City, Mich.) to make it 1-1.

The Crusaders took their first lead of the game in the third when junior Tara LaMilza (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) reached on a one-out single and moved to second when the ball was misplayed by the V-Hawk outfield. A single from freshman Erika Landess (Carleton, Mich.) scored LaMilza to make it 2-1.

VU retook the lead in the fourth, plating three runs on a three-run homer by Bethanee Nitz that made it 4-2 Viterbo.

MU tied the game again in the fifth, scoring a pair of runs on a Shay two-run bomb to center that made it 4-4.

The V-Hawks took a two-run lead in the top of the seventh, getting to reliever Jess Irwin (Monroe, Mich.) for a pair of runs on a Sami Weaver homer that made it 6-4.

The Crusaders answered back in their half of the seventh to force extra innings as Shay led off with a walk and was run for by freshman Ali Robinson (Farmington, Mich.). Robinson stole second and then third before coming home, to make it 6-5, when a ball Landess hit was dropped in the outfield for what could have been the last out of the game. Landess scored one hitter later when senior Rachael Kethe (Lenox, Mich.) delivered a single that made it a 6-6 ballgame.

The international tie-breaker but a runner on second base to start the eighth for both teams and sophomore Hallie Minch (Garden City) - who had started the game before coming back in during the seventh inning - got three straight ground outs to retire the V-Hawks in order and bring MU back to the plate.

Scero was placed on second and after a pop out, senior Cat Sidor (Livonia, Mich.) came through with the game winning single to score Scero and give Madonna the 7-6 come from behind win.

Minch (3-0) picked up the win, totaling five innings of work, striking out five while allowing four runs. Irwin also struck out five in her three innings of relief work. Junior Kelly Lesko (Trenton, Mich.), LaMilza, Landess, Shay and Sidor each had two hits for the Crusaders.

GREAT FALLS
The Crusaders (6-0) wasted little time in scoring in the night cap as Scero led off with a walk and came home on a sacrifice fly from LaMilza to make it 1-0 MU after one.

Madonna added three more in the fourth as Kethe led off with a single and came home on a Scero triple to make it 2-0. Cox then doubled to score Scero for a 3-0 lead. Cox came in to score three batters later when a ball LaMilza hit was misplayed in left for a 4-0 Crusader cushion.

MU tacked on two insurance runs in the sixth but the lead was more than enough for Irwin (3-0) as the junior righty struck out nine while allowing just two hits and walking just a pair in picking up her third win of the year in as many starts. Cox and Kethe each posted two hits for Madonna while Minch drove in a pair.

The Crusaders return to the field on Thursday for a pair of night games. First up on the docket is an 8pm (EST) game against Judson College followed up by a 10pm (EST) first pitch against Robert Morris College at Lincoln Park in Tucson.

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834