DETROIT (4/2/16) – The University of Detroit Mercy softball team fell behind early and could not complete the comeback as the Wright State Raiders took the rubber match of the three-game series, 9-4, on a frigid Saturday afternoon from Buysse Ballpark. 
 
Battling snow and a biting wind, the Raiders pushed two runs across in the top of the first on back-to-back RBI doubles. Wright State extended the lead with four runs in the second, a run in the third and two more in the fourth to surge ahead 9-0.
 
Undeterred, the Titans fought back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. After the first two runners reached, freshman Kara Vitale smoked a RBI single through the left side to plate Detroit's first run.
 
Freshman Jordan Manno walked to load the bases and junior Jenna Reeves hit a two-RBI single down the left field line to bring the deficit to 9-3. An infield RBI single by shortstop Kristen Garceau pushed the Titans' fourth run of the inning across the plate.
 
Detroit had a number of opportunities to score as the Titans recorded 11 hits on the day, but UDM could not overcome the hole and fell in the rubber match of the series.
 
In the third inning, consecutive hits by Manno, Laura Villagrana and Garceau brought the heart of the lineup to the plate with two outs. Sophomore Savvy Ferstle sent a blast into the left center gap that looked destined to produce at least a pair of runs, but stellar outfield play bailed the Raiders out once again as the centerfielder tracked down the ball to make an acrobatic catch on the warning track.
 
The Titans again had a chance in the fifth, but a line shot off the bat of Reeves found leather and stranded two runners on base.
 
Detroit managed to crank out 11 hits, but stranded 11 runners on the base paths in the defeat.
 
The top four in the Wright State order provided all of the offense the Raiders would need and proved to be a nuisance for the Titan pitching staff. The top four combined to go 9-for-15 with six runs scored and eight RBI. Becka Peterson led the way with a 2-for-3 day that included two runs and three RBI, a double and a homerun.
 
Four Titans picked up multiple hits on the day, with Villagrana going 2-for-4, Garceau going 2-for-4 with a RBI and Katy Severson also going 2-for-4 with a run. Manno reached base in every plate appearance, going 2-for-2 with a pair of walks.
 
Reeves went 1-for-4 with two RBI and Vitale capped the top offensive performers with a 1-for-3 performance that produced a run and a RBI.
 
Coming off a complete game 10-inning performance, freshman Ashley Mauser got the start in the circle and never quite got going after the long outing the previous afternoon. She lasted just 1.2 innings and gave up five runs to get saddled with the loss.
 
Junior Keaira Schilling came on in relief and threw three shutout innings with just two hits and four strikeouts.
 
The Titans (8-27, 1-5 Horizon) split with Wright State (18-15, 5-1 Horizon) on Friday, before Saturday's loss.
 
Detroit returns to Horizon League action next weekend at Northern Kentucky. The Titans and Norse are scheduled to play a single game on Friday, April 8 and a doubleheader on Saturday, April 9 from Highland Heights, Ky.