SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University softball team picked up a marquee doubleheader sweep on Saturday, defeating No. 11 ranked Marian University 7-5 before closing the day with a dramatic walk-off win in extra innings, 1-0.
It marks the first time the Cougars have swept Marian in a doubleheader since the 2014 season.
Spring Arbor improves to 22-18 overall and 13-13 in conference action.
In game one, Marian jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Spring Arbor responded with a five-run third inning to take control.
Grace Luby drove in a run with a single, and
Grace Lentz delivered the key hit with a two-run triple, also scoring on an error in the same play.
The Cougars added two more runs in the fourth on an RBI double from
Summer Ambler and an RBI single by
Brooke Meeker to extend the lead to 7-2.
Marian made things interesting late, scoring once in the sixth and twice in the seventh, but SAU held on for the 7-5 win.
Spring Arbor tallied 10 hits in the opener, led by Ambler's 3-for-4 performance with two runs scored.
Nicole Barbeau and Lentz each added two hits.
Emilee Underwood earned the win with a complete game in the circle, striking out five.
Game two turned into a pitcher's duel between SAU's
Alexyn DuBois and Marian's Lexi Smith, with neither team able to break through in regulation.
After DuBois worked a clean top of the eighth, the Cougars capitalized in the bottom half. Ambler sparked the rally with a leadoff double off the wall in left field and eventually advanced to third on a groundout.
Two batters later, DuBois helped her own cause, entering as a pinch hitter and delivering a walk-off single to right field to score Ambler and secure the 1-0 victory.
Ambler finished with two more hits in game two, while
Payton Grange also recorded two hits.
DuBois was dominant in the circle, tossing a complete game shutout and holding one of the nation's top teams to just four hits over eight innings.
Spring Arbor returns to action on Tuesday, April 14, hosting Bethel University with first pitch set for 3 p.m.
