GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The No. 17 Olivet Nazarene University softball team concluded its non-conference schedule against Aquinas College at Cornerstone University on Monday afternoon.

Game One: Aquinas 9, No. 17 ONU 6

The Tigers led off their scoring in the first inning. Sara Beers (SR/Greenwood, Ind. ) and Katie Marker (JR/Yorkville, Ill. ) led off with singles. Miranda Southall (SR/Wilmington, Ill.) then reached on a fielder's choice platting Beers. A couple of batters later, Southall scored on a dropped third strikeout making the score 2-0. Then, Kate Landis (JR/Beecher, Ill.) and Haley Dobson (JR/Beecher, Ill.) both picked up RBI singles to extend the Tiger lead to 4-0. The Saints got one back in the bottom half of the frame on an RBI single. The Tigers led the Saints 4-1 after one inning of play.

The Saints then took the lead in the bottom of the second inning notching four runs on six hits making the score 5-4. The Tigers retook the lead in the top of the fourth on a two-out, two-run double by Kori Fricke (SO/Manteno, Ill.), moving the score to 6-5. The Saints then came back with a vengeance marking four runs in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run homer and a two-run double making the score, 9-6.

The Saints lashed out 15 runs and held the Tigers scoreless the last three innings and won, 9-6.

Game Two: No. 17 ONU 9, Aquinas 1

The Saints marked a run on a solo homer in the bottom of the first opening the scoring at 1-0. The Tigers notched three runs in the top of the second. With one out, Kate Landis singled and Sydney Harrison (SR/Lansing, Ill.) doubled to deep centerfield putting runners at second and third. Haley Dobson then smacked a three-run homer down the left field line making the score, 3-1. The Tigers added a run on an obstruction call by the catcher, in the fourth inning, extending their lead to 4-1.

The Tigers grew their lead to 6-1 in the top of the fifth on a two-run double by Harrison. ONU added three runs in the seventh inning on an RBI single by Dobson and Marker, while the Tigers got their other run when Sara Beers grounded into a fielder's choice to drive in Kate Landis.

Southall went the distance surrendering only three hits on a run forcing 13 groundouts as the Tigers bounce back to win game two, 9-1.

Game Vitals

Finals: Game One: Aquinas 9, No.17 Olivet Nazarene 6 | Game Two: No. 17 Olivet Nazarene 9, Aquinas 1

Records: No. 17 Olivet Nazarene 11-3 | Aquinas 11-5

Location: Cornerstone Softball Field | Cornerstone University | Grand Rapids, Mich.

Quick Hits (Both Games)

• Marker led the Tigers with six hits.
• Fricke, Kate Landis, Harrison and Dobson all had multi-hit games in game two.
• Dobson hit a homer in the second game and had five RBIs on the day.
• Fricke and Southall all notched doubles while Harrison had a pair of doubles in game two.
• The Tigers drew seven walks on the day and Southall drew three walks in game one.
• Olivia Flinn (FR/Mokena, Ill.) made her first career start in game one.

What's Next?

The No. 17 Tigers travel up to Deerfield, Ill. to play a Wednesday night doubleheader against the Trojans of Trinity International on April 7. The doubleheader is set for 3/5 p.m.

--ONU—

*Contact: Sam Viebrock, Sports Information Director, stviebrock@olivet.edu