LACEY, Wash. – Behind the arm of
Kim Nelson and the clutch hitting of
Mary Dettling, the Saints took both games of a doubleheader against Montana State Billings, 7-1 and 8-6, at their home opener.
Game One
Nelson pitched a complete game, allowing one run on three hits, to shut down the Yellowjackets (9-14, 5-5 GNAC) and a six run sixth inning for the Saints (6-2, 2-0) proved to be enough in the 7-1 victory.
SMU struck first in the bottom of the third, with runners on the corner,
Lauren Diuco stole second, and
Lindsay Miller scored on the throw.
Bella Rovens of MSUB knotted the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth with a solo-shot to center field on a 0-1 pitch.
The Saints regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a
Corrie Wilson RBI single to left field, scoring Diuco. Next batter,
Jackie Schmaeling, singled to right field, scoring both Wilson and
Sabrina Hicks stretching the Saints' lead to 5-1. The final two runs came home on a Diuco single to center field, plating
Alyssa Slate and
Paige Miller.
Nelson ended the game by retiring 11 of the final 12 batters and managed to complete the game without striking out one batter. She forced the Yellowjackets into eight fly outs and 12 ground outs. Nelson's gem consisted of one run on three hits, while walking only one batter.
"
Kim Nelson did a great job in the circle in the first game" said head coach
Rick Noren. "We finally got the bats going in the sixth inning and had some clutch hits".
Game Two
MSUB quickly got the board with a home run to left field from three-hitter Kelsey Devlin and took a 1-0 lead after the top of the first. The Saints responded the next half inning with three runs, two coming on walks with the bases-loaded and one a fielder's choice.
Billings recovered the lead in a three run fourth inning, highlighted by a no-doubt two-run home run from Heather Tracy. The Yellowjackets added one more run in the fifth inning with a RBI double to right center field to extend their lead to 5-3.
Tessani Dixon crushed her first home run in a Saint Martin's uniform to straight away center field to pull the Saints within one in the sixth. Later in the inning, with runners on the corners,
Mary Dettling, facing her younger sister Megan Dettling for MSUB, hit the go-ahead three run home run to right field and gave the Saints the 7-5 lead. Nelson added one more insurance run later in the inning with a single to center field.
The Yellowjackets' seventh-inning rally picked up momentum after Cameron Cassinelli doubled down the right field foul line, scoring one run. Nelson was called in from the bullpen to retire the final two outs, both with ground balls, and secured the 8-6 win.
"Two big wins today…we didn't do a great job of adjusting at the plate but we finally broke through in the sixth. Dixon got us going with her home run and the top of the order came through and the
Mary Dettling had the big home run" said Noren.
Lindsay Miller got the start for the Saints, going 3.2 innings, giving up four runs on six hits, while walking two batters.
Lauren Maley (1-0) picked up her first win of the season after going 2.2 innings in relief, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out one.
Up Next: The Saints face Montana State-Billings twice more on Saturday to complete the four-game series with first pitch scheduled for noon at SMU Softball field.
