[Softball] Big innings carry St. Ambrose to sweep of Trinity Christian

St. Ambrose used big innings to sweep a doubleheader from Trinity Christian by scores of 7-4 and 8-2 Friday afternoon at the St. Vincent Athletic Complex.

The Bees scored multiple runs in five different innings in getting the two wins that improved the team's record to 10-4 overall and 4-2 in the CCAC.

It started early as SAU scored three times in the bottom of the first inning in Game 1. Olivia McClintock, Shai Erdrich and Kayla Stenger started the game with three straight singles to give the Bees a 1-0 lead. Erica Ralfs had an RBI groundout and Logan Frerichs hit a sacrifice fly to also plate runs.

Colleen Barrett dropped down a run-scoring bunt single to start the scoring in a three-run third inning. Allison Polly drove in a run on a groundout and Barrett came around to score when Sophia Delgado reached on an error to extend the lead to 6-0.

Trinity Christian made things interesting by scoring three times in the fourth and once more in the fifth. McClintock brought in an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out single to score Polly with what proved to be the game's final run.

That was one of three hits in the game for McClintock. Barrett collected two hits. 

Alyia Oliver got the win in relief of Ralfs. Oliver gave up three hits and one run over 2 2/3 innings. Jane Thomas recorded two strikeouts in pitching the final inning.

Oliver then came back to also get the win in Game 2. She worked the first four innings, allowing just four hits and one run. Thomas threw two scoreless innings before Ralfs finished out the game by allowing an unearned run in the seventh.

The pitches got all the support they would need in the first inning. Grace Schmitz had the big hit in the frame, a two-out, two-run single that came on the heels of an RBI single from Stenger.

It was just the start for both Schmitz and Stenger.

Schmitz added a two-run single in the third to push the lead to 5-0, and an inning later, Stenger cleared the bases with a three-run triple. Each Bee finished with four RBIs in the win. McClintock joined the duo with a two-hit game.

St. Ambrose will next host Indiana South Bend in a conference doubleheader Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.