Home Field Hullabaloo
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
North Central (Minn.) | 3 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 5 | 24 | 12 | 2 |
|
Maranatha | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 32 | 26 | 3 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
North Central (Minn.) | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 14 | 3 |
|
Maranatha | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 11 | 6 |
THE LEAD
WATERTOWN, Wis. -- Maranatha and North Central combined for a staggering 88 runs in just 12 innings today, as they split the Sabercats' return series at Brandt-Quirk on a day when records were shattered.
After a 32-24 win in the second game, Maranatha set or tied six program records and broke into the program's top 10 record books 14 different times on a wild, windy day in Watertown.
THE OVERVIEW
- Results: Maranatha 14-18 North Central, Maranatha 32-24 North Central
- Venue: Brandt-Quirk Park
- Location: Watertown, Wis.
- Records: MBU (3-5), NCU (3-5)
THE STORY
The first game was all about North Central early on, but an 8-run fourth frame brought the Sabercats back from 13-3 down to just 13-11. Dani Chaney knocked in 3 runs and Erin Yancey went 3-5 with an inside-the-park home run, but the Sabercats' 14-run performance wasn't enough.
RBI double for �� Dani Chaney in her first at-bat at Brandt-Quirk ‼️
— Maranatha Athletics (@MBUSabercats) March 29, 2021
�� �� pic.twitter.com/JXHKK6MO0R
Maranatha posted 11 hits and drew 10 walks in the opener, but their patience at the plate was offset by stranding 8 runners and committing 6 errors in the opening game. With the wind blowing straight out to the outfield fence, North Central had taken the biggest advantage of the favorable elements, winning 18-14.
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Game 2 was a slugfest. Both teams scored 3 runs apiece in the first inning, but that seemed tame compared to the 12-run second inning that Maranatha put on the board. Taylor Thome had 3 extra-base hits and Chaney smashed a home run that cleared the fence by a long shot. Liberty Bailey tied the highest-ever mark in program history with 3 doubles and the Sabercats posted 9 extra-base hits in the mayhem.
With Maranatha leading 19-8, North Central answered with an 11-run at-bat in the fourth, but Maranatha finally ended things per the mercy rule with 11 runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Chaney hit a walk-off 2-RBI double to put the exclamation point on a record-setting day at Brandt-Quirk Park.
All told, Maranatha made 14 new entries in the program record books, outlined in the records section below.
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Maranatha Lineup Game 1 - Bullock (2B), Hecker (CF), Thome (SS), Chaney (C), Yancey (P), Thompson (RF), Lawver (1B), Nerat (3B), Sponable (LF)
Maranatha Lineup Game 2 - Bullock (2B), Hecker (CF), Thome (SS), Chaney (C), Yancey (1B), Bailey (P), Lawver (RF), Nerat (3B), Sponable (LF)
THE SOUND BITE
"I'm proud of the girls - we hit the ball really hard [today]," said Coach Rob Thompson after the game. "Liberty [Bailey] did a fantastic job for us, and she's hitting the ball extremely well. Dani [Chaney] also did a great job at the plate as did Taylor [Thome]. Just a great team effort - the girls bounced back from errors and gave us opportunities to win the game. Very proud of their efforts today."
THE STATS
THE RECORDS from Game 2 (parentheses indicates program record)
- MBU: 32 runs (1st)
- Thome: 9 RBI (1st)
- Hannah Hecker: 6 runs (1st)
- Bailey: 3 doubles (T1st)
- Bailey, Thome: 5 hits each (T1st)
- Chaney: 6 RBI (T3rd)
- Malia Bullock: 5 runs (T2nd)
- Alexis Sponable, Thome, Bailey: 4 runs (T4th)
- MBU: 7 doubles (T3rd)
- MBU: 27 RBI (2nd)
- MBU: 26 hits (2nd)
THE OPPONENTS
- North Central competes in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (NCAA DIII)
- North Central completed 8 games in 2020 before the season was canceled
THE OUTLOOK
The Sabercats stay home Saturday for a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader with Cardinal Stritch. Follow at mbusabercats.com/composite.
