Site: Tucson, Ariz. (Lincoln Park)
Score: Madonna University 12, Judson College 11
Records: MU 14-3; JC 5-1
Next MU event: Friday, March 11 vs. Iowa Wesleyan (Lincoln Park), 8:00 am

BOX SCORE

TUCSON, Ariz. (MadonnaCrusaders.com) - - In a battle of unbeatens, the No. 14-ranked Madonna University softball team had to hang on and hold off a furious comeback from Judson College but the Crusaders did just that in a 12-11 win at Lincoln Park on Thursday (March 10) night in a game that did not start until nearly 11pm mountain time.

After a scoreless first inning, Madonna hung two runs on the board in the top of the second to take an early 2-0 lead. Rachael Kethe (Lenox, Mich.) and Hallie Minch (Garden City, Mich.) came home when a ball Kelly Lesko (Trenton, Mich.) hit was misplayed allowing both runners to score.

MU added three more runs in the top of the third when Ashley Shay (Garden City, Mich.) doubled home Arielle Cox (Newport, Mich.) and Cat Sidor (Livonia, Mich.) who had earlier reached on a single and a walk respectively to make it 4-0. Shay stole third and came home when the ball Erica Landess (Carleton, Mich.) was mishandled to push the Madonna lead to 5-0.

JC got one run back in the bottom of the third to make it 5-1 and tied the game in the bottom of the fourth by plating four runs for a 5-5 game.

The Crusaders responded back in the top of the fifth, plating four runs of their own. Shay led off the frame by being hit and after a walk to Tara LaMilza (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) and a single by Minch loaded the bases, Landess unloaded them by reaching on an error that scored Shay and LaMilza that gave MU the lead back at 7-5. Lesko then hit a single that scored Minch and Landess to make it 9-5 Madonna heading into the bottom of the fifth.

Neither side scored in the sixth and MU added three insurance runs in the seventh when Brittney Scero (Canton, Mich.) singled home Landess and two hitters later Sidor's single scored Lesko to make it 11-5. Run 12 - the game winning run - came home when Shay reached on a single that scored Scero to make it 12-5.

Judson put up six runs in the bottom of the seventh and had the tying run at first base but MU's Jess Irwin (Monroe, Mich.) got the final hitter to strike out and preserve the 12-11 win to keep the Crusaders perfect on the year.

Irwin struck out 12 while allowing just three earned runs in moving to 4-0 on the year. Sidor led the way at the plate with four hits while Lesko recorded three and Shay drove in three runs for MU.

The Crusaders were scheduled to play Robert Morris but that game was canceled due to the late start of MU's first game of the day. MU closes their trip to Tucson with games against Iowa Wesleyan and Black Hills State on Friday (March 12) starting at 8am (MST).

Contact: Patrick Moore (734) 432-5834