QUICK HITS

• Result: MBU 6-16 Mount Mary, MBU 6-18 Mount Mary
• Venue: Brandt-Quirk Park, Watertown, Wis.
• Attendance: 32, 29
• Record: Maranatha is now 1-17

THE LEAD

WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Sabercats notched seven extra-base hits off of Mount Mary University, but even that wasn't enough thump to take home a win against the Blue Angels.

Taylor Thome was back at it, as she produced above and beyond what was expected: five hits, three runs, four RBI, a double, and two triples on the day. Not bad for a rookie.

THE STORY

Thome got her day started with an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning. Thome whacked her pitch into right-center to bring home Megan Rasmussen. But Thome's efforts were negated by seven Mount Mary runs in the first two frames combined.

In the bottom of the third, there came a legitimate hope for MBU, and Thome was once again the provider. Thome smoked a Triple into right field, then advanced to home on a misplay from Mount Mary. The bases were cleared and the Sabercats were just three runs away. 7-4 Mount Mary.

The Sabercats' hopes were soon dashed, as Mount Mary countered with nine runs over the next two innings, increasing their lead to 16-4.

Two big hits in the bottom of the sixth - another RBI triple from Thome and an RBI double from Kylee Zempel - came in the bottom of the fifth for Maranatha, but the two runs that those hits produced were nothing more than a consolation. Mount Mary had done enough to end the game after five innings. 

In game one, Harmony Bailey reached 102 career strikeouts, which puts her second all-time in program history and earns her the most strikeouts of any two-year pitcher.

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The second game was a good ballgame. The two teams matched each other for the most part in a back-and-forth contest. This lasted until the fifth, which proved to be the final inning after things went wrong for the Sabercats.

Rasmussen scored first for Maranatha when she showed some heads-up baserunning in the bottom of the first. Mount Mary scored three runs in the top of the third to make it a 5-1 game, but the Sabercats made it a one-run ballgame once again when Trisha Wright notched her first career double to drive in three runs. 5-4 Blue Angels. 

Wright's work was partially undone by two Mount Mary runs in the top of the fourth. It was then that Tina Kolinski stepped up and marked her final at-bat at Brandt-Quirk Park in spectacular fashion. The senior ripped a frozen rope into center field and proceeded to wheel around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. It was Kolinski's first career home run, and it made it a one-run game.

Kolinski's homer and the Sabercats' bid at the comeback were soon overshadowed, as Mount Mary produced a killer blow of 11 runs in their next at-bat. There was no one thing that characterized the Mount Mary spree, as they used hits, good baserunning, and a couple of poorly-timed Sabercat errors to take home the sweep of the doubleheader.

THE STATS

Thome entered this week with just three hits all season. The rookie has now logged 12 hits in six games, including three extra-base hits. Thome had eight RBI in the six-game homestand.

Kolinski finished the day with two hits, two runs, and two RBI.

Bailey added three hits on the day.

THE SOUND BITE

"Taylor Thome continues to lead from the plate," said Coach Rob Thompson after the game. "She started the week with a 0.94 average, and has improved to .306! Well done! We struggled today in the outfield in game 1, and then the infield in game 2, but the team continues to learn. [I'm] very proud of how we conduct ourselves both on and off the field. Looking forward to a day off, and then hit the road on Friday for games at Principia and Blackburn."

MORE ON MOUNT MARY

• The Blue Angels join the Sabercats as members of the Association of Division III Independents.
• Mount Mary now holds a 36-20 advantage in the all-time series with Maranatha.
• The Blue Angels will face the Sabercats four more times next week as the season concludes.

THE CALENDAR

The Sabercats travel to Principia College Friday for a 6 p.m. doubleheader. Follow stats live at mbusabercats.com/composite