Flames use 'team effort' to win two

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – College of Saint Mary Softball Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said a "total team effort" helped the Flames win two games Saturday – including one in extra innings.

The Flames defeated Waldorf University 4-3 in eight innings and then knocked off Dakota State University 9-4 in the second game.

"We had a great day and a great weekend," Bray said. "We needed every single player on our team today to get these two wins and I'm really happy for them."

In the first game Waldorf jumped ahead early with one run in the first inning and then another run in the fourth. CSM answered back for one run in the bottom of the fifth before the Warriors added another run in the top of the six frame to take a 3-1 lead.

The Flames scored two in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game and neither team scored in the seventh. CSM held Waldorf scoreless in the top of the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Paige Stuck started on second base with the international tiebreaker rule and advanced to third on a sac bunt from Daisy Lowther. After a second out, Sydney Griffin stepped to the plate and singled to right field to score Stuck.

"That was a great win and a fun game to be part of," Bray said. "We had so many amazing plays defensively and so many clutch hits. I know it is cliché but it really was a total team effort."

Griffin finished with three hits, while Stuck, Savannah Schewe and Kayla Reed had two hits each. Ella Watts added one.

Shaylynn Campbell started in the circle and went 2 2/3 innings. She gave up six hits, struck out three and didn't walk any. Daisy Lowther came on in relief and tossed 5 1/3 innings. She allowed seven hits, fanned two and didn't walk any.

"Daisy came in and got the job done," Bray said. "We also had pinch hitters and pinch runners that came in and made key contributions."

In the second game the Flames controlled the game from the start. CSM rallied for six runs in the second inning and another three runs in the sixth inning. The Trojans had three runs in the third inning and one run in the sixth.

Both teams had eight hits. The Flames were led by Griffin and Campbell – who had two hits each. Adding one hit apiece were Watts, Megan Garcia, Macy Santoni and Reed.

Campbell earned the win for CSM. She tossed the complete game, struck out nine and walked two.

"Shay pitched a great game," Bray said. "And all three of our catchers were solid behind the plate this weekend.

"We're really happy with our weekend. We saw some things we need to work on, but for the most part we really played well."

The Flames are 5-3 on the season and resume play March 2 at Benedictine University.