Leavenworth, Kan.—

Game One:

Brooke Gerling belted a two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Spires to a 3-1 extra-inning victory over Park University in game one on Wednesday, February 25^th at the University of Saint Mary Softball Field.

Saint Mary struck early, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After loading the bases, Kylie Vandervoort showed patience at the plate and drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Raegan McConnell. This early run stood up through the first three innings as starting pitcher Grace Rose faced the minimum and kept Park off the board.

Park answered in the top of the fourth when Park's Tessman connected for a solo home run, tying the game at 1-1. From there, the match up turned into a pitchers' duel. USM finished with seven hits but stranded nine runners, while the Pirates offense was held to three hits and only one run batted in, coming on Tessman's homer.

USM came confidently to the plate in a 1-1 game after Rose had worked around Park's threat in the top half of the extra inning. After the Spires set the table with Riley Wiseman on second base as part of the tiebreak rule, Gerling drove a pitch to left for a two-run shot that broke the deadlock and sealed the walk-off win, capping a two-hit, two-RBI performance.

Rose was the constant for Saint Mary, turning in a complete-game effort in the circle. The Spires' starter went 8.0 innings, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out four. Rose limited Park to three base runners left on and did not allow a walk, repeatedly inducing weak contact to keep the game within reach until the offense could break through again.

Opposite Rose, Park starter Vaught was effective in defeat. Vaught worked 7.1 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out eight. Vaught kept the Spires off the board from the second through the seventh innings, repeatedly pitching out of trouble as the Spires left multiple runners on base.

Saint Mary totaled three runs on seven hits with one error, compared with Park's one run on three hits and clean defense. Gerling's late-game power and Rose's complete-game control combined to give the Spires a walk-off extra-innings win and a strong early-season performance at home in Leavenworth.

Game Two:

The final game of the double header saw a similar story from Gerling as a three-run first-inning homer from the sophomore from St. Joseph and a complete-game effort from Desarae Chavez set the tone as the Spires once again held off Park for a 6-4 win in game two of Wednesday's double header.

The Spires seized control early, loading the bases in the bottom of the first before Brooke delivered another powerhouse of a swing on the day. The Saint Mary standout turned on a pitch and drove it out for a three-run shot, staking the Spires to a 3-0 lead that they would not relinquish. Gerling finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, three RBI and the game's lone home run, sparking a 13-hit performance by the Saint Mary lineup.

Park responded in the third inning to make it a one-run game. With runners aboard, Vaught put the visitors on the board with an RBI double, and Rollo followed with a run-scoring double of his own to cut the Spire lead to 3-2. Chavez limited the damage, however, stranding Park runners to preserve the advantage and settling in to keep the Spires in front.

USM created separation again in the fifth. The Spires loaded the bases and pushed across a run when Brianna Camarena coaxed a bases-loaded walk to make it 4-2. Two batters later, Briana Solis ripped a double that drove in two more runs, stretching the margin to 6-2. Solis finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, joining Gerling as one of the key run producers in the middle of the order.

In the circle, Chavez delivered a steady outing, going the distance to secure the win. The Spires' pitcher worked 7.0 innings, allowing just five hits and two earned runs while issuing five walks and striking out three. Saint Mary's defense backed Chavez with clean play for most of the day, committing only one error and turning several routine chances to keep Park from mounting big innings.

Park mounted one last rally in the seventh, using Saint Mary's lone miscue to apply pressure. Gilbert reached on an error that allowed a run to score, and Rollo added his second RBI of the game on a fielder's choice, trimming the deficit to 6-4. With the tying run potentially looming, Chavez closed the door, recording the final outs to finish off the complete-game victory.

The Spires outhit Park 13-5 and left eight runners on base while holding Park to four runs, only two of which were earned. Park starter White took the loss despite striking out five in 4.1 innings, surrendering eight hits and four earned runs.

USM is now headed to the Branson Showtime Classic this Friday, February 27^th and Saturday the 28^th at the Branson RecPlex Facility with their first game against Greenville University at noon on Friday.