04/23/07

In a reversal of fortune from the opening game of a doubleheader at Hamline University on Monday afternoon, game two saw the Saints make the most of the their limited opportunities to make a 1-0 lead hold up as the Pipers missed chances in four different innings to push at least one run across home plate.

St. Scholastica (14-14) left six runners in scoring position in game one against Hamline (16-11) while the Pipers scored on their only real opportunity to earn a 1-0 game one win.

This time around it was the Saints who scored a run on the only time they had a runner reach second base in the game.

A one-out single and stolen base by Brenna Zavodnik in the top of the third put her at second base with the meat of the order coming up behind her.

After a fly-out to center field put two outs in the scorebook, Erica Kozacek singled to move Zavodnik to third.

When Kozacek stole second and drew the throw, Zavodnik raced home for the score and the first Saints lead of the day.

St. Scholastica would have only one more baserunner the rest of the game, a sixth inning single from Kozacek, but that one run was all starting pitcher Mary Jo McNamee seemed to need.

The sophomore, fresh off a no-hitter last Friday afternoon against conference foe Martin Luther College, threw six and two-thirds inning of scoreless ball before giving way to Rilee Dawson who was on the mound for the final out of the game.

McNamee surrendered only four hits with three walks and worked out of jams in the first, second and fourth innings, none bigger than in the second inning, though.

With a runner on first and two outs a second error in the inning by the Saints put runners at second and third. Following a walk to load the bases, McNamee picked up the final out on a grounder right back at her to slam the door shut on the Pipers.

McNamee and the Saints escaped without allowing a run again in the fourth with a double play to end the inning.

Clinging to a tenuous 1-run lead in the bottom of the seventh, McNamee gave up a two out walk which ended her day on the mound. With Dawson now in the pitcher's circle, the Hamline runner stole second to put the tying run in scoring position with the winning run at the plate.

Perhaps being too greedy, the Pipers tried one more steal but this time Saints catcher Katie Brown gunned down the runner at third for the final out of the game.

Kozacek, named the UMAC's April 16-22 Player of the Week earlier in the day, went 3-for-3 in the game. Zavodnik and Kayla Kahilainen had the other two hits for the Saints.

McNamee improved to 2-1 on the year while Dawson picked up her first save. Hamline starter Rachel Roberts fell to 6-3 with the loss.