Madonna's pitching stymied Lourdes's bats on Sunday afternoon at Pacesetter Park, defeating the Gray Wolves 8-0 in the opener and 1-0 in 10 innings in game two.
 
The Crusaders jumped in front with two runs in the opening inning and added an unearned tally in the second of game one.  Four straight singles to open the fifth produced a pair of runs before a two-run triple by Kerstyn Comerzan followed by a wild pitch put Madonna in front by eight.
 
Lourdes managed just three hits in the opener.  The Gray Wolves loaded the bases in the first on a single by Kelsey Beck (Paulding, Ohio/Paulding H.S.) followed by an error and a hit batter, but could not plate a run.  Taylor Genzman (Saint Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview H.S.) had a two-out single in the second and Meghan Birr (Muskegon, Mich./Mona Shores H.S.) added a bunt hit in the fifth.
 
Erin Combs went the distance in the circle to earn the win (12-3), striking out three while walking two.  Brooke Gallaher (Oregon, Ohio/Clay H.S.) suffered the loss (3-4), surrendering five earned runs and eight hits in four innings.
 
In game two, Marissa Kostick (Saint Charles, Mich./Saint Charles H.S.) and Madisen Henry battled one another in the circle, while keeping the opposing offenses off of the scoreboard for the first nine innings. 
 
Lourdes loaded the bases in the first with two outs but could not score.  Madonna had runners on second and third with one out in the fourth but two strikeouts ended the threat.  In the seventh, the Crusaders put the leadoff runner on third, but back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout ended the threat.
 
Madonna (19-9, 8-1 WHAC) finally broke through in the 10^th, as a bases loaded walk to Kayla Rebain with two outs plated Mikey Kish with the game's lone run.
 
Henry allowed six hits, two of which came by Genzman, in the complete game win (5-3), striking out three and walking just one.  Kostick fanned nine and scattered eight hits, but walked five. 
 
"I am proud of how we batted in game two after the run rule in the opener," head coach Jo Ann Gordon said afterwards.  "We should come away from today with a lot of confidence playing a veteran team that is at the top of the conference."
 
Lourdes (7-15, 1-5) will travel to Lima, Ohio on Wednesday afternoon to battle Northwestern Ohio.  First pitch in game one of the doubleheader is set for 3:30 p.m. at Racer Field.