Noder and
Ballinger Pitch Crusaders to Sweep at Tech
April
29, 2007
Site:
Fort Wayne, Ind. (Memorial Field)
Scores: Madonna 2, Indiana Tech
0 | Madonna 3, Indiana Tech 2
Records: MU (29-14;
14-6 WHAC),
IIT (23-18; 12-8 WHAC)
Next MU Event:
Wednesday, May 2
-- vs. Indiana Tech at WHAC Tournament
-- Grand Rapids, Mich.,
12:00 p.m.
FORT WAYNE, Ind.
--
Shannon Noder (Lincoln Park, Mich./Lincoln Park HS) and Liz
Ballinger (St. Johns, Mich./St. Johns HS) guided the Madonna softball
team to a pair of wins at Indiana Tech Sunday.
Noder threw a five-hit shutout while pitching the Crusaders to a 2-0 win in the
opener. Ballinger scattered 10 hits and allowed just two seventh inning
runs as Madonna claimed the nightcap 3-2.
Madonna improved to 29-14 overall and 14-6 in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic
Conference. Indiana Tech dropped to 23-18 overall and 12-8 in WHAC play.
MU also clinched the number two seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
In game one, the Crusaders put together six hits, including two by junior
Christina Finch (Albion, Mich./Homer HS) and freshman Caitlyn
Sidor (Livonia, Mich./Churchill HS).
Madonna got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning after Finch belted a solo
home run, her third of the season.
The Crusaders added another run in the sixth inning as pinch runner Rachael
Kethe (Richmond, Mich./Richmond HS) scored on an error.
Noder picked up her team leading fifth shutout of the season and struck out five
batters in the victory.
In the nightcap, Finch doubled in the first inning to score sophomore Hannah
Godfrey (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Mott HS) giving MU a 1-0 lead.
Later in the inning, Heather Richardson (Plymouth, Mich./Canton HS)
scored on a groundout by Sidor to increase the Crusaders lead to 2-0.
Madonna struck again in the third inning as Richardson scored on a single by
Alison Grant (Carleton, Mich./Airport HS) giving the Crusaders a 3-0
advantage.
Indiana Tech threatened in the seventh inning after plating two runs before
Ballinger closed out the contest and clinching the second seed for Madonna in
next week's WHAC tournament.
Ballinger struck out three batters and picked up her 14th win of the season.
Offensively, Brittney Scero (Canton, Mich./Canton HS), Godfrey and
Grant all recorded two hits in the nightcap.
Madonna will now prepare for the postseason as the Crusaders will travel to
Grand Rapids on Wednesday to begin the first round of the WHAC Tournament.
MU will play the number three-seeded Indiana Tech Warriors in first-round action
at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Aquinas College.
Contact:
Tony Baldwin, Sports Information Director
(734) 432-5834
tbaldwin@madonna.edu
