LEAD

VIRDEN, Ill. -- The final game of the Sabercats' weekend series at Blackburn was a fireworks display, as they fell 17-18 in extra innings. 

Liberty Bailey, Laura Brown, and Dani Chaney all registered inside-the-park home runs and Chaney went 4-6 with 5 RBIs, but it still wasn't enough to prevent Blackburn from sweeping the weekend series.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 0-16 Blackburn (5 innings)
• Result: Maranatha 17-18 Blackburn (8 innings)
• Venue: North Mac High School
• Location: Virden, Ill.
• Records: MBU (0-8), BC (7-7)

STORY

Taylor Girth was the story of the first game, as the Blackburn pitcher recorded her first collegiate no-hitter. Girth fanned five of the 16 batters she faced, keeping the Sabercats right where she wanted them for the five-inning endeavor. Blackburn's offensive push came in the third inning, as they scored 12 runs off of eight hits to follow up a four-run showing in the second. 

The final game of the series was the grand finale, as the two teams lit up the ballpark with at least a run in each of the first 10 team at-bats.

Brown got things started with a solo home run (inside the park) in the first inning, and the Sabercats proceeded to plate nine runs in the second. Chaney, Brown, Aubrey Secor, and Krysten Lawver all registered RBI singles as the Sabercats flew into an 11-4 lead. Chaney took care of the scoring in the top of the third inning with her third career home run (inside the park) and then added to the fun in the fourth with a two-RBI double. Chaney would go on to finish 4-6 with five RBIs, three runs, and two extra-base hits.

The Sabercats held Blackburn to two runs or fewer in each of the middle innings and almost run-ruled their hosts, but Blackburn came to life when they needed to most, scoring to extend the game to six innings before plating six runs in the sixth. Girth was responsible for three of them, as the "pitcher" tallied a three-RBI double to tie the game up.

Third base was the closest the Sabercats would come to scoring in the seventh and eighth innings, as Blackburn ended the wild game with a walk-off in the bottom of the eighth.

When all was said and done, the two teams combined for 35 runs, 36 hits, and 15 errors in a game to remember.

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Maranatha Lineup Game 1 - Bullock (2B), Massey (LF), Chaney (C), Brown (SS), Lawver (1B), Bates (3B), Bailey (P), D'Oyley (RF), Searle (CF)

Maranatha Lineup Game 2 - Bullock (2B), Massey (LF), Chaney (SS), Brown (CF), Lawver (1B), Bates (3B), Bailey, (C), Secor (DP), Searle (P),  D'Oyley (FL/RF)

SOUND BITE

"The girls played awesome today," said Coach Rob Thompson after the game. "Even in game one we did a lot of things really well, executing a home-to-first double play with the bases loaded. And in the second game we had a lot of really timely hitting and nearly pulled it off in the fifth inning. The girls really battled, getting back into the game with their hitting before Blackburn finally walked it off in the eighth.

"Bethany took the circle halfway through the first game and then pitched the entire second game. She earned a game ball today, which was the first one of her career, and the girls really fought hard after getting mercy-ruled three times already. Just all the way around we had some good, heads-up plays today and showed we can play some good softball."

THE STATS

• Box Score Game One
• Box Score Game Two

OPPONENTS

• Blackburn competes in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NCAA DIII)
• Blackburn has already surpassed their win total from 2020-21, picking up three wins in March

OUTLOOK

The Sabercats continue the series against Blackburn tomorrow at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Details at mbusabercats.com/schedule.