Cougars Split With #14 Aquinas

(Jenison, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar softball team made the trip towards Grand Rapids to take on the #14 ranked Aquinas College Saints, and came back with a victory, as the two teams would split their WHAC double-header on Wednesday afternoon.

In Game 1:  Osheiauna Phifer led off the inning with a single and a stolen base, and Susie Bielecki would draw a walk to bring up Izzy Easton.  Easton doubled down the right field line to score both Phifer and Bielecki to give the Cougars an early 2-0 lead.  Aquinas stormed back in the bottom of the 1st and 2nd, to take a 5-2 lead, but the Cougars would make a response of their own.  In the 3rd, after Kate Currie singled, then advanced on a ground out, Izzy Easton singled up the middle to score Currie and cut the deficit to 5-3.  In the 4th, Grace Pasterik was hit by a pitch, and Maddie Campbell reached on an error.  Osheiauna Phifer loaded the bases on an infield single.  Two batters later, Kate Currie hit a grand slam to center field to give the Cougars a 7-5 lead.  Cleary wasn't done, as the rally continued with a Susie Bielecki walk (Gabby Monreal would pinch run) and an Izzy Easton Single.  Mia Rzepka singled to score Monreal to make the score 8-5.  In the 5th, Osheiauna Phifer reached on a single, and advanced on a groundout to bring up Kate Currie.  Currie would single home Phifer and making the score 9-5 in favor of the Cougars.  Aquinas would not go away quietly, and stormed back to tie the game in the bottom of the 5th at 9-9.  With the score still tied 9-9 in the 7th, Grace Pasterik would lead off the inning with a double, and was advanced to third base on a bunt single by Maddie Campbell.  Osheiauna Phifer would lay a sacrifice bunt to put Campbell and Pasterik in scoring position to bring up Sarah Cassidy, who doubled to left field and scored two runs.  Cleary would hold on in the bottom of the 7th for the victory.
Mercedes Cole would earn the win in relief, allowing 2 R (0 earned) on 2 hits while striking out 2 in 3 innings pitched.  Kate Currie went 3/5 with 5 RBI and 2 runs scored, while Izzy Easton went 3/5 with 3 RBI.  Osheiauna Phifer went 4/4 with 3 runs scored and a stolen base.

In Game 2:  Cleary once again jumped out to an early lead, after Osheiauna Phifer led off the game with an infield single and a stolen base.  Sarah Cassidy would single, and Phifer would come around to score for the game's first run with Cassidy advancing to second base on the play.  After a foul out and an error, Cassidy came around to score to make it 2-0 Cougars.  Aquinas would inch back in the 3rd with a home run, but Cleary answered back in the 4th.  Susie Bielecki would draw a walk, and Izzy Easton would single to put two runners on (Izabell Estes would pinch run) to bring up Allison Lesonsky.  Lesonsky would single to right field to bring Bielecki around to score and give the Cougars a 3-1 lead.  That would be the final Cougar run, and the Saints exploded for runs in the 5th and 6th innings to take an 11-3 lead, with the game being called after 6 innings.
Allison Lesonsky would take the loss, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits through 4 innings.  Sarah Cassidy, Izzy Easton, and Allison Lesonsky each posted two hits for the Cougars, while Osheiauna Phifer added 1 hit and a stolen base, her 28th stolen base of the season.

Cleary is now 15-32, 4-15 in the WHAC.  They will next play at UNOH on Friday, April 29, in a WHAC double-header being made up from April 9.  This could be the last action of the season, as the suspended game vs. Lawrence Tech  from Sunday, April 24, may or may not be played, pending other results around the league.  If the game vs. Lawrence Tech is necessary, it will resume on Sunday, May 1.