SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University softball team scored 11 runs over the final three innings to erase an early deficit and conclude a doubleheader sweep of the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) in its home opener on Monday afternoon.
The Cougars defeated Saint Francis 3-2 in the first game before rallying back to topple the visitors 11-5 in the nightcap.
The wins improved Spring Arbor to 13-9 overall and a perfect 4-0 in the Crossroads League, while Saint Francis dropped to 5-7 on the season with a mark of 1-3 in league play.
After a scoreless first inning, Saint Francis threatened in the second with back-to-back hits to open the frame. However, senior pitcher Kaitlyn Sinclair struck out a batter and induced a harmless groundout before freshman Sydney Taylor made a great catch in right field to keep the visitors off the scoreboard.
Spring Arbor plated the game’s first run in the home half of the second with an RBI hit by Beka Bentz. Liz Campeau would also come around to score in the inning on a USF error.
Saint Francis managed to tie the game after pushing across a run in both the fifth and sixth innings, but SAU answered in the bottom of the sixth when freshman Kyla Semones crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Kelsey Brown. Sinclair would go on to retire the side in order in the top of the seventh to clinch the win.
Fresh off her first-ever perfect game, Sinclair earned her second straight win going all seven innings allowing just one earned run while striking out three.
In game two, Saint Francis jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first, but Brown would settle in and hold the visiting Cougars scoreless over the next four innings.
The Spring Arbor offense struggled to get much going early, managing just two base runners through the first three frames, but erupted over its final three at-bats for 11 runs to post its fourth consecutive victory. The Cougars scored once in the fourth on back-to-back doubles by Bekah Guy and Sinclair. Kasidy Coats ignited a four-run fifth inning when she led off the frame with a solo shot to left-center field, and SAU tacked on six more runs on five hits in the fifth inning.
Guy went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI’s and two runs scored. Sinclair and Coats also picked up two hits apiece in the contest.
Brown registered her seventh win of the season. She pitched all seven innings giving up five runs and striking out three.
Spring Arbor will visit Goshen College (3-16, 1-3 CL) on Tuesday, Mar. 22 with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.