[Softball] Bees run their way to sweep of Titans

After winning the first game 6-4, St. Ambrose ran its way to a doubleheader sweep of Indiana South Bend Saturday. The Bees stole 13 bases in the second game, rallying to win 11-7.

The two wins moved SAU to 12-4 overall and 6-2 in the CCAC.

Averaging 3.2 steals per game entering the day, the third-highest mark in the NAIA, the Bees only improved on that number Saturday.

In the second game, Olivia McClintock led the way with five stolen bases, making her a perfect 15-for-15 this season. Shai Erdrich stole three bases, Jazzy Bowman had two, and Kayla Stenger, Aleah Wight and Kaitlyn Sandora each swiped one.

It was a McClintock steal of home that gave St. Ambrose a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap. Colleen Barrett and McClintock each had RBIs to give the Bees a 5-1 lead after just two innings.

But Indiana South Bend (10-20, 3-11 CCAC) battled back. A grand slam capped a six-run fourth inning and gave the Titans a 7-5 lead.

McClintock got one of those runs back herself in the bottom of the fourth. After reaching on a two-out single, she promptly stole second and third, and when the catcher's throw ended up in the outfield, McClintock came home to cut the deficit to 7-6.

The Bee bats came alive an inning later. Barrett had an RBI single to tie the game, and with two outs, Emma Gorden tripled down the right-field line to plate a pair for a 9-7 lead. McClintock and Erdrich followed with run-scoring hits to ultimately account for the final score. SAU collected six hits in the frame.

McClintock and Erdrich each finished with three hits. Gorden and Logan Frerichs each had two.

Alyia Oliver got the win in relief of Erica Ralfs. Oliver allowed just one hit over 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Jane Thomas pitched the final 1 1/3 innings.

Oliver also earned the win in the opener. After surrendering two runs and three hits in the top of the first, she allowed just a single hit over the next three innings.

That allowed St. Ambrose to pull ahead in a four-run second inning. McClintock, Wight and Stenger each drove in a run and McClintock gave a glimpse of things to come by stealing home to give the Bees a 4-2 lead.

Sophia Delgado and Alyssa Schumacher added RBIs in the third inning to increase the lead to 6-2.

IU South Bend took advantage of an error to plate a pair of unearned runs in the seventh. The Titans threatened for more, putting the tying run on base, but Thomas got a groundout to close out the game.

Thomas earned the save by working the final three innings. Frerichs had two hits in the win.

SAU will now hit the road to visit Cardinal Stritch Monday.