Ella Leonard's (Lorain, Ohio/Midview H.S.) game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh lifted Lourdes to a 2-1 victory over Bethel (Ind.) on Friday evening after the Gray Wolves dropped a 7-2 decision to eighth-ranked Indiana Wesleyan at Fortune Road in Kissimmee, Fla.
"I'm really proud of how our team came together today," head coach
Caitlin Blanchard said afterwards. "We challenged them at the beginning of the day to play selfless softball and they came through. We may have lost the first game, but I was proud of our fight when we scored some runs late in the game against a ranked opponent. That momentum carried us to a walk-off win to end the day. Kirsten pitched a gem in the second game and we came through at the end with the runs to help her get the win."
Kirsten Smith (Marysville, Mich./Marysville H.S.) went the distance in the circle in game two, allowing just one unearned run to Bethel (1-7) in the third inning while scattering seven hits and striking out seven.
Trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh against the Pilots,
Abby Cantrell (Gibsonburg, Ohio/Gibsonburg H.S.) reached on a one-out error and was pinch run for by
Madie Wagner (Sycamore, Ohio/Wynford H.S.). With two outs,
Annalisse Palma (Battle Creek, Mich./Lakeview H.S.) tied the game with a single through the left side, scoring Wagner. Palma took second on the throw, which allowed her to score one batter later when Leonard laced a single into right-center, giving the Gray Wolves the win.
Palma, Leonard, and
Elizabeth Chagolla (Toledo, Ohio/Start H.S.) all had two hits as part of a seven-hit attack for the Gray Wolves in game two.
In the opener against Indiana Wesleyan (15-3), the Wildcats jumped in front early with three runs in the first and another in the second. After a two-run third made it 6-0, Lourdes finally broke through.
Brooke Albert (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights H.S.) walked to lead off the fourth and
Sophia Dauterman (Toledo, Ohio/Whiteford H.S.) followed with a single.
Megan Richardson (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon H.S.) loaded the bases with a single to center before a ground out by
Vivianna Gonzalez (Brownstown, Mich./Cabrini H.s.) plated Lourdes first run. A walk to Chagolla with a wild pitch allowed the second run to score.
Indiana Wesleyan plated one final insurance run in the fifth to secure the victory.
Albert had two of Lourdes four hits in game one.
Milena Applegate (Jerome, Mich./Lumen Christi H.S.) went the distance in the circle, giving up six earned runs and seven hits.
Lourdes (3-4) will close out its Florida trip on Saturday with two more games. The Gray Wolves will face Saint Francis (Ind.) at 1 p.m. and Cardinal Stritch at 5:30 p.m.
