FORT WAYNE, Ind. - - The Madonna softball team won two the hard way on Friday, having to come from behind in the opener and going extra innings before taking a 3-1 win and then completed the sweep with a 4-2 win over home standing Indiana Tech. The wins improve MU to 23-11-1 over all and 11-3 in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play. Tech is now 17-19 overall and 9-7 in loop action.

GAME ONE
Neither team put on an offensive show in the opener of the day and much like the last meeting between the two clubs (a 1-0 win for Tech on April 11), a low scoring affair was what ensued.

The Crusaders had two runners on in the opening inning as Brittney Scero (Canton, Mich.) reached on an error to open the game and two hitters later Christina Finch (Albion, Mich.) walked but the Warriors' Jessica Williams got Danielle Richardson (Flint, Mich.) to fly out to end the threat and keep the game scoreless.

MU put a pair of runners in scoring position in the fourth as Richardson reached on an error and Ashley Shay (Garden City, Mich.) reached on a fielder's choice that was misplayed by the IIT infield allowing both runners to be safe. The royal and gold pulled off a double steal to move the runners into scoring position, but Williams again put down the MU uprising, posting a strike out to end the inning.

Tech loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth off of MU starter Jess Irwin (Monroe, Mich.) as Irwin hit a pair of batters and allowed a single to load the bases with Warriors. The freshman right hander then got herself out of the jam by striking out Brittany Miller and getting Sam Simpson to ground out to Tedi Johnston (New Boston, Mich.) to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.

The Warriors broke the 0-0 deadlock in the bottom of the sixth, as Irwin hit the lead off hitter with a pitch and issued back-to-back walks to load the bases. It appeared MU would get out of the jam again as Irwin got pinch hitter April Alexander to strike out swinging but issued a walk to Simpson to force in a run and give Tech a 1-0 lead heading into the seventh.

After dropping the last meeting by a single run, Madonna did not want to go quietly in the seventh, but after Williams got Mary Kate Setta (Grass Lake, Mich.) and Kathleen Smiley (Wixom, Mich.) out to start the inning, MU was down to its final out. Freshman Kelly Lesko (Trenton, Mich.) sparked the Crusader rally by laying down a bunt single and promptly stole second and then third before a throwing error on the Tech catcher allowed her to come home and square the game at 1-1.

Irwin retired the Warriors in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra frames.

Cat Sidor (Livonia, Mich.) roped a double to open the eighth and Johnston reached on an error to put runners at first and second with no one out. Finch laid down a bunt of her own and after a misplay by Tech, Sidor came home to make it 2-1 MU. A wild pitch allowed Johnston to score and give the Crusaders a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth.

The eighth proved to be exciting for both sides as Mallory Williams led off by reaching on a Madonna error. After Williams struck out for the first out of the inning, Jen Anderson singled to put runners at first and second. The rally ended there as Miller hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and give Madonna a hard fought 3-1 win.

Irwin picked up the complete game win, allowing just three hits while striking out 11 for her 12th win of the season. Her counterpart from Tech, Williams, was almost as spectacular, allowing just three Madonna hits while posting four strike outs. Finch, Richardson and Sidor had the Crusader hits.

GAME TWO
The Crusaders started off the scoring with a run in the top of the first as Scero led off with a single and came home on a Johnston double to make it 1-0 after half an inning.

The Warriors took advantage of three Madonna errors to tie the game at one in the bottom of the third. but MU came back to take the lead in the top of the fourth as Johnston reached on a Tech error and moved up to second on a wild pitch. Finch then walked and was run for by Rachael Kethe (Lennox, Mich.). Johnston was then caught stealing but in the ensuing play, Kethe scored to make it 2-1 Madonna.

Tech tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning as Simpson homered off of Madonna starter Liz Ballinger (St. Johns, Mich.) but that was the last run the Warriors would score for the game. MU untied the game again in the fifth as Sidor singled and moved up to second on a Tech error. Johnston followed her with a double to make it 3-2 Madonna. Finch then doubled Johnston in for a 4-2 Madonna lead.

Ballinger allowed just two more base runners until the seventh when Harris hit a one-out single and Williams was hit by a putch. After getting Jen Anderson to pop out to Richardson behind the plate, head coach Al White went to his bullpen and brought Irwin in to try and nail down the save. Irwin allowed a single to load the bases but got Miller to ground out to Johnston to end the game and give the Crusaders a sweep of the double header and a 3-1 season series win.

Ballinger earned the win, her eighth of the season while Irwin picked up her second save of the season in three chances. Johnston went 3-for-4 with two RBIs while Setta and Shay posted two hits each. The wins also moved White closer to the elusive 300 win mark., giving the MU skipper 299 career triumphs.

The Crusaders will try and get White win number 300 when they host UM-Dearborn on Saturday at 1pm. MU and UMD split the WHAC opener earlier this year in Dearborn. Saturday is also Senior Day as the softball team will pause to honor its senior class of Ballinger and Finch in a ceremony between games.