Davenport, Iowa—

Game One:

In game one on day two of the St. Ambrose Tournament, USM was unable to overcome a big early surge from Madonna, falling 11-0 in five innings Saturday morning. Madonna scored in every frame and used a seven-run second inning to seize control, holding Saint Mary off the scoreboard despite six hits from the Spires' lineup.

The Spires held Madonna to a single run in the first before the game turned in the top of the second. Madonna strung together multiple run-scoring swings, including a two-run single from Peschke and an RBI single from Finkbeine, to build separation. The inning was capped by a two-run home run from Rosiewicz, pushing the deficit to 8-0 and putting the Spires in an early hole.

Despite the scoreline, the Spires continued to generate base runners throughout the contest. Saint Mary finished with six hits and drew two walks, consistently putting pressure on the Madonna pitching staff. However, the Spires stranded seven runners on base, as timely hits proved elusive in key spots and Madonna mixed effective pitching with clean defense to escape traffic.

Madonna tacked on insurance runs in each of the final three innings. Rosiewicz added an RBI single in the third, Salinas drove in another run with a single to center in the fourth, and Anteau's RBI double in the fifth closed out the scoring at 11-0. Anteau finished with three hits, including two doubles, while Peschke reached base multiple times, scored three runs, and drove in two.

Saint Mary's offense showed flashes with the ability to reach base against a staff that allowed just six hits, two coming from Briana Solis, and one hit apiece from Audrey Spellman, Nora Burrel, Raegan McConnell, and Gabriella Rogers, and two walks overall. The Spires' hitters forced starter Oyer and the Madonna bullpen to work from the stretch in several innings, but the Crusaders ultimately maintained the shutout behind just one strikeout and steady play in the field.

Oyer earned the win for Madonna after working three scoreless innings, scattering four hits with one strikeout and no walks on 25 pitches. The Madonna staff combined for five shutout innings, 13 hits of support, and error-free defense, while Saint Mary also played cleanly in the field with no errors.

Game Two:

In game two in a rematch against Aquinas, a late sacrifice fly in the ninth inning proved to be the difference as Saint Mary dropped a 3-4 extra-inning decision to wrap up the weekend at the St. Ambrose Dome.

After Aquinas pushed across the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly to right by Carlson that scored Wilkins, the Spires were unable to find a final answer in the bottom half, despite having pressured the Saints throughout the game. Saint Mary led for much of the contest and carried a 2–1 advantage into the late innings before Aquinas rallied with single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth.

Pitcher Desarae Chavez turned in a workhorse performance in the circle for the Spires, throwing all nine innings and striking out seven while facing 40 batters. Chavez scattered 12 hits and allowed four runs, keeping the Spires in front for most of the game and repeatedly pitching out of traffic as Aquinas stranded 11 runners. Chavez also contributed at the plate, driving in Saint Mary's first run with a second-inning infield single.

The Spires manufactured the game's first run in the second inning. After Nora Burrell reached and moved into scoring position, Chavez put a ball in play that turned into an RBI single, with Burrell scoring on a throwing error by the second baseman to make it 1–0. Saint Mary added on in the third when Kylie Vandervoort singled to shortstop, bringing home pinch-runner Grace Brewer and pushing the lead to 2–0.

Aquinas however, broke through in the fourth as Fisher doubled to right and later scored on an RBI ground out by Postma, cutting the margin to 2–1. Chavez and the Saint Mary defense held that one-run edge into the seventh, but Aquinas pulled even when Hinkle reached on an error at shortstop, allowing Wilkins to score the tying run. The Saints briefly took their first lead in the top of the eighth on a Saint Mary error at first base that allowed Lopez to cross the plate.

USM answered immediately in the bottom of the eighth. After Analesa Gonzales came around to score, Grace Rose delivered a key RBI single to left field to knot the score at 3–3 and give the Spires new life heading to the ninth.

The top of the ninth inning proved crucial for Aquinas when Carlson flew out to right field on a sacrifice fly, moving Hinkle and Anzaldua and scoring Wilkins, with what would end up being the final nail in the Spires day. The bottom of the 9^th inning saw Robinette, Spellman, and Camarena recording the final three outs of the afternoon. Aquinas College finished with 12 hits to USM's nine, while the Spires showed aggression on the bases with three stolen bags and left 10 runners stranded.

Up next, the Spires will head back home to the USM Softball Field as they host the Park University Pirates on Wednesday, February 25^th with a double-header set for 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.