LA CROSSE, Wis. -- Home runs proved to be both a blessing and a curse for the University of St. Francis softball team on Wednesday afternoon as the longball helped notch a 2-0 Game 1 win over Viterbo University (Wis.) in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference action before turning victory into defeat in a 6-5 setback to the V-Hawks in the nightcap. The Saints (17-16, 12-4 CCAC) tallied both of their runs on a two-run shot in the opener before yielding twice that amount of runs in comparable fashion in the nightcap.
Isabella Landeros (3-for-7),
Kylie Cook (2-for-6, 1 RBI),
Emily Hurst (3-for-7, 2 RBI) and
Morgan Smardo (3-for-5) all registered hits in each end of the doubleheader with the latter two also scoring two runs apiece on the day.
Game 1: USF 2, Viterbo 0
What began as a pitchers' duel turned into offensive heroics for the Saints in the opener when Hurst broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning with her one-out, two-run home run to straightaway centerfield. At that point, it was just the Saints' fifth hit of the contest.
The junior shortstop also provided solid defense for the Saints in the field, but an electrifying defensive inning from senior outfielder
Zoe Ditter capped off the game in the seventh inning to solidify the 2-0 victory. After making a diving catch to record the first out of the inning in the left center gap, Ditter followed that up with another diving grab - this time to the right - two batters later that resulted in a double play at first base to end the game.
Manning (10-7), meanwhile, cruised along in the circle throughout the duration of the game, allowing the V-Hawks to manage just three hits in the seven-inning affair with only two base runners getting into scoring position. She would take credit for the win en route to her second shutout of the season, while striking out nine opposing hitters.
Game 2: Viterbo 6, USF 5
St. Francis appeared to be on the verge of sweeping Viterbo (9-23, 5-9) with a 5-2 nightcap victory until a disastrous seventh inning that produced two home runs resulted in a walk-off 6-5 win for the hosts that ended a productive day at the plate for the Saints.
A total of 15 hits were registered between the two squads with Viterbo taking credit for just five. The final two hits would be the most decisive ones for the V-Hawks, however, with VU's Alexis Watson and Marissa Carter-Olson playing the villains with their game winning home runs generating all four runs in the inning. Watson would connect for a three-run blast to knot the game at 5-all, before Carter-Olson gave Viterbo its final run on a solo shot two batters later to mark the final score at 6-5.
Viterbo put the first two runs of the game on the board, scoring in both the first and second innings, before the Saints exploded for seven hits to plate five runs of their own between the third and fourth frames.
Only one hit would be authored from either team from that point forward until Viterbo's last at-bats, which set the stage for the dramatics in the seventh.
Hust, Landeros,
Hailey Kaddatz and Smardo each had two hits on the day for the Saints, while
Emily Boyle, Cook and Kaddatz each knocked in one run apiece.
Boyle (7-8) shouldered the loss in the circle for the Saints, allowing three hits while striking out four over 4 1/3 innings of work. She would give up just one earned run in the contest.
Up Next
The Saints will have a one-day break before hitting the road again on Friday (April 25) for a non-conference doubleheader against Cleary University (Mich.). First pitch is scheduled for a 2:30pm start.
You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on X @USFSaints.
