COLUMBUS, Ga. – [Watch On-Demand] Madonna (Mich.) used a third-inning home run and a decisive five-run middle stretch to defeat Mobile (Ala.) 5-2 and stay in the winners’ bracket to face Southeastern (Fla.) tomorrow, Tuesday, May 26 at 10 a.m. ET.
The game remained scoreless through the first two innings before Madonna broke through in the bottom of the third. With Faith Peschke aboard, Ashley Rosiewicz launched a two-run home run to left field to give Madonna a 2-0 lead. The early swing proved pivotal as Mobile struggled to generate offense against Madonna starter Camille Oyer.
Madonna added to its lead in the fifth inning. Regan Finkbeiner drove in a run with a single through the left side before Brynn Anteau followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, extending the advantage to 4-0. The final run of the inning scored on a costly Mobile defensive error as Faith Cramton reached on a fielding error at first base, allowing Rosiewicz to score and push the lead to 5-0. The run was unearned.
Mobile mounted its only threat in the seventh inning against reliever Anna Battagin. Lillie Lanham reached base and later scored when Madeline Houk ripped an RBI double down the left-field line. Moments later, Lucy Spisto added an RBI single to score Bella Bullington and trim the deficit to 5-2. Battagin limited the rally from there, closing out the final three innings to earn the save.
Rosiewicz led Madonna offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs. Finkbeiner added an RBI single and scored a run as Madonna totaled five runs on six hits. In the circle, Oyer improved to 23-0 after tossing four scoreless innings. Battagin earned her third save by allowing two runs over the final three innings. For Mobile, Miah Simmons went 3-for-3 and accounted for half of the team’s six hits, while Houk and Spisto each drove in a run during the seventh-inning rally.
Avery Harrell took the loss after allowing two runs over four innings. Kempton was charged with three runs — two earned — over the final two innings. Madonna’s three-run fifth inning turned a close 2-0 contest into a comfortable cushion, and the Crusaders held off Mobile’s late push to secure the 5-2 victory.
The Rams will look to stay in Columbus with one more game tonight against Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) at 9:30 p.m. ET.
