DETROIT, MI. (4/18/18) -- The University of Detroit Mercy softball team split a pair of high scoring games with the visiting Cleveland State Vikings on Wednesday afternoon from Buysse Ballpark.
Titans ace
Ashley Mauser broke the school record for strikeouts in a season in game one of the doubleheader. She passed former Titan pitcher Kelli Short, who held the record with 104 in one season. Mauser now has 114 strikeouts and counting on the 2018 season.
On the day,
Kori Keyes had six hits, one run scored and one RBI,
Jordan Manno had three hits, three runs scored and five RBI,
Courtney Gilbert had five hits, three runs scored and two RBI and
Savvy Ferstle had four hits, one run scored and two RBI.
DETROIT MERCY 7 - CLEVELAND STATE 1
Mauser pitched the complete game for the red, white and blue, going seven innings while scattering a mere three hits, walking only one batter and striking out 12 on the day.
The Titans jumped out to an early lead in game one of the doubleheader, courtesy of a Gilbert solo home run to center field.
That would be followed by a single to left field by Keyes, and she would advance to second on a wild pitch.
Alyssa Lang would capitalize on Keyes advancing into scoring position, cranking a double into the left center field gap and scoring the runner from second base, extending the lead to 2-0.
In the bottom of the second,
Elizabeth Yager would draw a walk, and Manno would bust out of her slump with a two run bomb over the left center field fence, extending the lead to 4-0.
Cleveland State led off the top of the fourth with a walk and a stolen base, which put a runner in scoring position. The runner would then advance to third on a groundout to Mauser, and score on a ground ball to second base, trimming the Titans lead to 4-1.
Ferstle would lead off the bottom of the fifth inning with a single to the shortstop, and head coach
John Conway would send in pinch runner
Cami Sinclair to replace her at first base.
Keyes would then single to left field, putting runners on first and second.
Kara Vitale would then draw a walk, loading the bases for
Maddy Scarsella. Scarsella would hit a sacrifice fly into center field, scoring one and extending the lead to 5-1 for the red, white and blue.
Manno would single to third base in the bottom of the sixth and then steal second and advance to third on a wild pitch. Gilbert would hit a sacrifice fly into left field to score Manno, making the score 6-1.
Ferstle would follow that up with a solo home run to left field, her team best fourth of the season, making the score 7-1.
DETROIT MERCY 6 - CLEVELAND STATE 8
The Vikings would come out with a vengeance in game two of the doubleheader, tacking on three runs immediately in the top of the first.
The Titans would answer right back, scoring two of their own in the bottom half of the first. Those runs would come courtesy of back-to-back doubles by Gilbert and Ferstle and a throwing error on a bunt laid down by Keyes, making the score 3-2.
Scarsella would lead off the bottom of the second with a single into right center, followed by a successful bunt from
Lindsay Brandon, putting runners on first and second with no outs.
Manno would step up to the plate with one out and hit her second home run of the day. This time it was a three run shot over the left field fence to give the Titans a 5-3 lead.
Back-to-back walks and a wild pitch in the top of the fourth saw Cleveland State threaten to regain the lead. They took advantage on a single into center field that would score two, tying the game at 5-5, and saw the runner advance to third base on a wild throw home.
The next batter for the Vikings would ground into a fielder's choice, scoring the runner from third base and giving Cleveland State their second lead of the game, 6-5.
A solo home run in the top of the fifth would extend the lead to 7-5 for the Vikings, but the Titans would not go down without a fight.
In the bottom of the fifth, back-to-back doubles from Gilbert and Keyes saw the Titans cut their deficit in half, 7-6 with two innings remaining.
In the bottom of the sixth, the red, white and blue had the bases loaded with only one out, but were unable to capitalize on the golden opportunity, leaving them trailing 7-6 after six innings.
The Vikings would tack on an insurance run in the top of the seventh, courtesy of another solo home run, again doubling their lead to 8-6.
The Titans were unable to come up with the rally in the bottom half of the seventh inning, seeing them split the double header with the visiting Vikings.
ON DECK
The Titans will now head down to Bowling Green, Ohio for a non-conference game against Bowling Green State University on 4/23 with first pitch set for 5 p.m.
