Softball Closes Out Its Arizona Trip With Two Tough Defeats

TUCSON, Ariz.— The Fontbonne University softball team closed out its trip over in Arizona with two tough defeats against Hiram (12-7) and No. 5-ranked Trine (10-2; 6 innings).

Hiram 12 Fontbonne 7

In game one, the Griffins (record), totaled seven runs on nine hits but had its struggles defensively, committing five errors.

Offensively, Alleigh Kruse went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Emelia Modglin belted her second homer in as many days, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Courtney Kedroski, meanwhile, added a hit and two RBI.

On the rubber, Diamond Thomas took the tough loss as she went 2.0 innings, allowing six runs and walked five.

Hiram (3-6), finished with 10 hits of its own. Amanda Holzman ended with a team-high two hits and tied teammates Kaitlyn Hager and Giselle Bahena in RBI (two). Mariah Sheffield, though went 1-for-4 with two runs scored and a game-high three RBI.

In the first, Alexus Acton gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead on a solo homer. In the home half, Modglin garnered an RBI groundout, plating Maddie Cooksey, who led off with walk.

In the second inning, the Griffins offense got going. With two outs and two runners on, Kedroski found the gap in left-center, plating Cooksey and Cardwell to give the home team a 4-1 lead. They weren't done there as Kruse singled to center and Kedroski scored to make it, 5-1.

In the top half of the third, though the Terriers plated five runs on three hits, capped off by Sheffield's 3-run homer, giving them a 7-5 lead. They added five more in the fifth to stretch its lead out to 12-5 and held on for the five-run win.

No. 5 Trine 10 Fontbonne 2 (6 innings)

In game two, the Griffins offense was held to just three hits. Kedroski, Modglin and Strickland each had a hit, while Strickland led them with two RBI. Inside the circle, Strickland went 2.0 innings and allowed seven runs for the loss.

Trine (10-2), finished with 15 hits and they were led by its No. 3 hitter in Mercede Daugherty, who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBI. Starter Hannah Kampmann got the victory as she went the distance, allowing two runs on three hits and sat down three.

In the first, the Griffins gained the early momentum. Cooksey walked and moved up a base after a sacrifice bunt. Then, a walk to Kruse and a single by Modglin, loaded up the bases for Strickland. She hit a base hit to left, plating Cooksey and Kruse to make it 2-0.

However, in the bottom half, Daugherty tied the game with one swing of the bat, belting a 2-run shot to tie the game. In the second, Trine's offense struck again.

The team scored five runs on five hits, highlighted by Daugherty's 3-run homer, her second of the game, giving them a 7-2 lead. They tacked on two more in the fourth and another in the sixth to win by eight.

The Griffins will now take on Harris-Stowe State on Wednesday night in its home opener. First-pitch at 5 p.m.

Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com throughout the year for full updates and recaps on the Griffins softball team.