Sterling, Kan.—

Game One:

The Spires took a one-run lead in the top of the eighth, but Sterling answered with two runs in the bottom half and handed USM a 3-2 loss Saturday afternoon in an extra-inning game one.

USM scored first in the opening inning. Kylie Vandervoort tripled to left field to set up the chance, and Nora Burrell drove in the game's first run with a groundout. Sterling pulled even in the second when Wright doubled to begin the rally and later scored on Seidel's RBI single up the middle. From there, the game settled into a pitchers' duel, with both teams held off the board through the seventh.

The swinging plays came after Saint Mary moved in front 2-1 on Burrell's RBI single up the middle, which brought home Audrey Spellman in the eighth. Sterling responded immediately. Johnson reached on a fielder's choice, and a throwing error allowed Cunningham to score and tie the game. Later in the inning, another defensive miscue helped the Warriors plate the go-ahead unearned run, and Sterling would hold that advantage through the final out.

Grace Rose gave the Spires a strong outing in the circle despite taking the loss. Rose worked 7 2/3 innings, allowed six hits and one earned run, did not issue a walk and struck out seven. Sterling's Ambriz matched that effort over a complete-game eight innings, allowing six hits, two runs, one earned, while walking three and striking out two.

Burrell accounted for both Spire RBIs. Vandervoort's first-inning triple helped create the early lead, and USM again found a breakthrough in extra innings when Spellman came around to score. Saint Mary finished with six hits but also left eight runners on base.

Game Two:

The Spires broke a scoreless game in the fourth inning and backed a complete-game effort from Desarae Chavez to beat Sterling 3-1 in game two to split the series.

The explosive sequence for USM came across the fourth and fifth innings, when the Spires turned a tight pitchers' duel into a three-run lead. Grace Rose started the breakthrough with a double to center in the fourth and later scored on Raegan McConnell's RBI single for a 1-0 advantage. In the fifth, Saint Mary added two more insurance runs with two outs. Nora Burrell doubled to center to bring home Kylie Vandervoort, and McConnell followed later in the inning with another RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0.

Rose paced the Saint Mary offense by going 3 for 3. McConnell finished with two hits and two RBIs. Burrell added an RBI double, helping Saint Mary make the most of its eight-hit afternoon. The Spires also drew four walks and stole two bases.

Chavez handled the rest in the circle. The USM starter worked all seven innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking one. Sterling's lone run came in the sixth, when Dunn singled down the left-field line to score pinch-runner Rardin and cut the deficit to 3-1. Chavez kept the Warriors from building anything further and closed out the game in the seventh to secure the win.

Sterling received four innings from starter Casillas, who allowed two runs before the relievers took over. But Saint Mary's key swings came at the right moments, especially after the game stayed scoreless through three innings.

Coming up, the Spires will travel to Coyote country to take on Kansas Wesleyan University on Wednesday, April 15^th with first pitch of game one set for 2:00 p.m. at Salina South HS Fields.