(LIMA, Ohio) – The Thomas More University softball team won game one against the University of Northwestern Ohio Racers, 4-3, before dropping the final game, 9-8. Thomas More is now 18-13 overall this season.
Game One: Thomas More defeats Northwestern Ohio, 4-3.
- The Saints started the game with a bang in the first inning.
- Hailey McAdoo (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mercy McAuley) singled to start the inning.
- Maclai Branson (Union, Ky./Ryle/University of Kentucky/Miami University (OH)) then came up and hit her seventh home run of the season, a blast to left field to put the Saints up 2-0.
- The Saints would keep the inning rolling with a single and walk to allow Karys Black (Burlington, Ky./Boone County) to hit an RBI single to make it 3-0.
- The Saints took a 4-1 lead in the second after Branson picked up her third RBI of the game on a one-out double to left center field.
- The Racers would plate a pair throughout the remainder of the contest, but Thomas More would hold on for the win.
Game Two: Northwestern Ohio defeats Thomas More, 9-8.
- Branson kept her great day at the plate going in game two with an RBI double to put the Saints up 1-0 in the first.
- Delaney Kemper (Williamstown, Ky./Williamstown) provided the RBI for the Saints in the third on a one-out single to center field to score Branson, who was hit by a pitch to begin the inning.
- At this point in the game, the Racers held a 4-2 lead.
- The Saints would tie the game in the fourth.
- The inning began with a Kai Dickerson (Walton, Ky./Ryle) triple before a Sydney Bledsoe (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) single made it a one-run game.
- A sacrifice bunt put Bledsoe at second with one out before McAdoo singled her in to tie the game.
- The Racers would score four over the next two innings to take an 8-4 lead into the sixth.
- The Saints would score three runs on four hits in the sixth to cut the lead to one run at 8-7.
- Branson, Josie Wefer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills/Morehead State University), and Kemper provided the runs batted in for Thomas More in the inning.
- The Racers would make it a 9-7 game heading to the final frame.
- Thomas More had a chance to tie it after Bledsoe scored a run with two outs to cut it one and left the tying run on third, but the Saints couldn't bring her in.
Game One:
- Branson had a game-high three hits, while Wefer and McAdoo had two.
- Branson had a game-high three RBI.
- Four Saints scored a run in the game.
Game Two:
- Branson led the team with three hits, while McAdoo, Kemper, and Sophia Thoma (Cleves, Ohio/Taylor) had two.
- Branson, Kemper, and Wefer all had two RBI.
- Branson, McAdoo, and Bledsoe all scored two runs in the game.
- Branson also walked and was hit by a pitch in the game, reaching base in eight of nine plate appearances during the doubleheader.
Game One:
- Annika Gels (Eaton, Ohio/Eaton) threw a complete game, striking out seven and giving up three runs while only walking one batter for her fifth win of the season.
Game Two:
- Cassidy King (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne/Urbana University/Sinclair Community College/Edison State Community College) pitched 1.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits.
- Emily Wisman (Okeana, Ohio/Harrison) threw 1.2 innings, allowing three runs on three hits.
- Karys Black allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out two over 2.2 innings.
The Saints will be back in Mid-South Conference play Friday afternoon at the University of Pikeville, with game one beginning at 2:00 p.m. against the Bears.
