Anderson Captures Split against Mount St. Joseph

The Anderson University softball team captured a split against Mount St. Joseph University to open the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) season during Saturday's doubleheader at the Raven Softball Field.

Anderson (2-10, 1-1) charged to a 9-1 victory in six innings for Game 1. Mount St. Joseph (12-7, 1-1) took a 5-2 win in Game 2.

The Ravens came into the game with a 1-9 record after completing a non-conference gauntlet against opponents with a combined record of 62-21-1.

"I didn't know what to expect going in [on Saturday]," Coach Tony Holloway said. "We were 1-9 coming in, but we've played some very stiff competition. I felt like we played a few good ball games and just didn't get over the hump."

In the preseason HCAC poll, Transylvania University (12-6, 2-0), ranked No. 13 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NCAA Division III poll, was picked as the favorite to win the conference. Mount St. Joseph came in second in the poll while Anderson was selected third.

GAME 1: ANDERSON 9, MOUNT ST. JOSEPH 1 (F/6)

Lexi Rankin (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield-Central) (1-0) got the win for the Ravens. She struck out two batters, issued two walks and allowed one run on four hits in six innings. Mount St. Joseph's only run came as a result of Sarah Miller scoring on a wild pitch.

"I want to talk about the pitching performance that we got from Lexi Rankin. She gave up four hits. We had the one wild pitch that they scored on. I think she held [Mount St. Joseph] at bay pretty well and the preseason conference poll says Mount St. Joseph is one of the two teams to beat."

Faith Muterspaugh (Middletown, Ind./Shenandoah) went 2-for-3 with four RBIs. The sophomore from Middletown opened up a 1-1 game in the bottom of the third by ripping a two-out three-run double. She produced another clutch two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. A second run scored on the same play as a result of an error.

Jayden Brown (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights) delivered the first home run of her career with a three-run blast for a walk off. She finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

"Jayden Brown has never hit a home run in her life. We put a hit and run on and she hits one straight into the wind for a three-run homer to enforce the mercy rule."

Taylor Johnson (Danville, Ind./Covenant Christian) went 2-for-3. Chloe Closser (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights) turned in a double. Kyleigh Lowry (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) and Ally Hall (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights) rounded out Anderson's nine hits with singles.

"All around, I think we played as good as I think we are capable of playing and the way I thought we would play quite a bit more, but again, outside of Taylor Johnson, everyone in this lineup has only had this year for college experience."

Miller (5-3) suffered the loss for the Lions. She fanned seven batters, issued three walks and surrendered nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits in five and one-third innings. Entering Saturday, Miller held a 4-0 record against the Ravens and had held Anderson to just one run and seven hits in 23 and one-third innings.

"We put nine runs on [Sarah Miller] after she's only given up one run and seven hits in 23 and one-third innings against us. I thought that spoke highly of us and I thought we got some timely hitting."

GAME 2: MOUNT ST. JOSEPH 5, ANDERSON 2

Mount St. Joseph held a 5-0 lead for much of Game 2. The Ravens committed three errors in the first inning, which led to both of Mount St. Joseph's runs in the first. Brooke Otto cranked a three-run shot in the second to put the Lions ahead by five.

Kamryn McCool (6-2) kept Anderson's bats under control to get the win for Mount St. Joseph. She fanned 13 batters, yielded three walks and gave up two runs on two hits in seven innings. McCool's largest strikeout streak consisted of eight batters.

Lowry broke up McCool's no-hitter in the fourth with a double.

During the sixth, McCool put runners on and Anderson took advantage, Brown and Closser were both hit by a pitch. Muterspaugh then drew a walk to load the bases. Alysa Marcin (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) connects on a two-run single for Anderson's second hit of the game.

"We had the rough start in Game 2, but we make it a ball game if we don't have the miscues in the first inning. We scored in the sixth, so we could have made it a 3-2 ball game. I felt like it would have given us a chance to win, but getting down 5-0 for a young team was probably too much to battle back."

Alexis Kern (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) (0-4) was tagged with the loss. She punched out three batters, yielded two walks and allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits in six and one-third innings. Rankin came in to relief and retired both of the batters she faced.

"I'm going to tip my hat. Alexis Kern threw really well after the first inning when we didn't give her a lot of support. She gave up a three-run homer, but we missed a spot, [Brooke Otto] hit it a long way and that's going to happen."

UP NEXT

Anderson is set for two key HCAC doubleheaders next week. The Ravens clash with Defiance College (9-10-1, 1-1) on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in Defiance, Ohio. Anderson then challenges Transylvania next Saturday at 1 p.m. in Lexington, Ky.