Lourdes scored the go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh inning in both games of Monday's doubleheader, sweeping Cleary 4-2 and 6-4 at Parker Field in Howell, Mich.
 
We had two big wins today and I am proud of the way that we competed," head coach Jo Ann Gordon said after the game.  "We won the freebie war, took advantage of their mistakes, and had some timely hitting."
 
Cleary scored first with a single run in the third inning of game one, as the Gray Wolf bats were nearly silent for the first four frames.  A two-run home run by Meghan Birr (Muskegon, Mich./Mona Shores H.S.) in the top of the fifth put Lourdes in front.
 
The Cougars tied the game with an unearned run in the sixth, before Lourdes had late game heroics in the seventh.  Lexi Ripperger (Loveland, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame H.S.) walked to lead off the inning and stole second.  Taylor Genzman (Saint Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview H.S.) followed with a hit and advanced to second on the throw, putting two Gray Wolves in scoring position.  A Kayla Encalado (Walbridge, Ohio/Lake H.S.) groundout with one out scored Ripperger with the go-ahead run before Marissa Kostick (Saint Charles, Mich./Saint Charles H.S.) followed with a run-scoring hit.
 
Samantha Shirling (Pemberville, Ohio/Eastwood H.S.), who earned the win (2-6) in the circle, had to escape a bases loaded jam with none out in the seventh to secure the victory.  She allowed just one run and eight hits in 5.2 innings of work.  Olivia Silvestri suffered the loss (6-5) for Cleary.
 
Lourdes took advantage of four Cleary errors in game two to plate three unearned runs on the way to the win.  The Gray Wolves scored in the opening inning as a result of a two-out miscue which plated Birr.
 
Cleary (21-12) tied the game in the bottom of the first before adding another single tally in the second to take the lead.  Kostick tied the game in the third, scoring another unearned run.
 
After Cleary retook the lead 3-2 after three, Kostick hit her first home run of the season to lead off the fifth inning, tying the game.
 
The Cougars utilized four hits and a Lourdes error to take a 4-3 lead after six before Lourdes rallied yet again.  Kostick's second home run of the game led off the seventh, tying the game at four.  After Kelsey Beck (Paulding, Ohio/Paulding H.S.) reached on an error and Erica Marvaso (Huron Township, Mich./Woodhaven H.S.) singled, Lindsay George (Wayne ,Ohio/Elmwood H.S.) delivered a two-run single to put Lourdes in front for good.
 
Kostick went 3-for-4 in game two while Marvaso and Birr each had two hits as part of an eight-hit game for the Gray Wolves.
 
Kostick also earned the win (4-6) in the circle, tossing four innings of relief, allowing just one run and seven hits while striking out four.  Riley Thompson suffered the loss (9-6) for Cleary.
 
Lourdes (10-20) will continue its six-game road trip on Tuesday, traveling to Hillsdale for a doubleheader.  First pitch in game one of the twinbill is slated for 4 p.m. at Johnny Williams Field in Hillsdale, Mich.