
Flames shine in all facets to gain split at Hastings
HASTINGS, Neb. -- The College of Saint Mary softball team turned in their most complete double-header in Great Plains Athletic Conference play to date, getting a tough road split at Hastings College.
Coach Carolyn Todd Brad said, "We played great softball today for the full 14 innings. We are really proud of the ladies. We kept the offensive pressure on all day and we were aggressive on the bases."
CSM picked up a 4-1 win in the opener before being walked off by Hastings 9-8 in the nightcap.
With the split, the Flames are now 9-25 on the year and 2-12 in GPAC play. Hastings sees their record move to 15-21 overall and 3-11 in conference action.
Game One: CSM 4, Hastings 1
Shaylynn Campbell (5-13) fired a gem in the circled, limiting Hastings to just one run while scattering four hits in a complete game effort. "Shay pitched a great win in game one, only allowing four hits," said Bray, who watched her defense play error-free behind Campbell.
Kyleigh Boever (7-10) was effective but a lack of run support saw her take the loss.
Both pitchers were terrific early. CSM totaled three hits through the first four innings, all singles, but were unable to scratch a run across.
Hastings finally broke through in the fourth, stringing together three-straight singles and scoring on Lexie Mudloff's single to take a 1-0 lead.
The Flames' response was swift and intense, scoring four runs on four hits in the top of the fifth. Paige Stuck tied the game up with a fielder's choice to chase in Ella Watts who had doubled leading off the frame. After a walk loaded the bases, Savannah Schewe, Daisy Lowther, and Sydney Griffin delivered consecutive singles to score runs. CSM threatened for more but Hastings escaped further damage with a ground ball double play to end the inning.
Campbell pitched around a one-out double in the fifth to record a big shutdown inning and did not allow another hit the rest of the way.
Watts finished 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles to lead the Flames while Griffin and Schewe each finished 2-for-4 with an RBI in the win. Paige Stuck was 1-for-4 with a double to account for CSM's other extra-base hit.
Game Two: Hastings 9, CSM 8
Shaylynn Campbell and Savannah Schewe each homered for the Flames who saw a win just slip out of their grasp.
Hastings jumped on the board with a pair of runs in the first and threatened for more before Kayla Reed came up with the defensive play of the game. With two runners in scoring position, Taylor Stuhr drove a fly ball to deep center and Reed reached up to pull back a would-be home run.
Riding that wave of momentum, CSM struck back with a pair of runs in the top of the second courtesy of run-scoring singles of the bats of Ella Watts and Schewe.
Katyn Kappler responded with a solo home run in the third to put the Broncos back in front but Campbell's blast turned that one-run deficit into a 4-3 lead in the fifth.
"Our outfield had a great day, highlighted by Kayla Reed robbing a home run! Shay and Sav Schewe had big home runs for us in game two," said Bray.
Schewe added onto the lead in the sixth, pushing the Flames' lead to 6-3. She drove a ball to left that caromed off the outfielder's glove and over the wall for a two-run home run.
Hastings again retook the lead on the strength of a four-run sixth inning.
Macy Santoni scored on an error in the seventh to tie the game and Watts came home on an infield single by Schewe to give CSM an 8-7 lead.
An error allowed Hastings to knot the game up in the seventh before Sam Skinner delivered the walk-off hit with a two-out single to right to score Stuhr with the winning run.
Schewe finished 4-for-5 with four RBI and Macy Santoni doubled twice in a 3-for-4 effort. Watts (2-5, 2 RBI) and Daisy Lowther (2-5) also had multi-hit games for the Flames.
Angelina Lockhart (3-1) was credited with the win while Campbell (5-14) wore the loss for CSM.