South Bend, Ind. – The Indiana University South Bend softball team continued conference play on Monday afternoon, hosting the Lakers of Roosevelt University. IUSB would come out strong to take game one of the double header, before falling in the final game of the evening.
GAME FACTS
Game 1:Â IU South Bend def. Roosevelt University, 7-2
Game 2:Â Roosevelt University def. IU South Bend, 8-7
Records:Â IU South Bend, 11-5, 3-1 CCAC | Roosevelt University, 7-21 1-7 CCAC
Location:Â South Bend, Indiana
Game 1 HIGHLIGHTS
•   IUSB came out of the gate strong, putting up three runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Savanna Schmitz (SO/Naperville, Illinois) lead off with a walk, followed by a Brittany Vanderbrink (FR/Avon, Indiana) single, before Shannon McCarty (SR/South Bend, Indiana) knocked them in with a triple. Nicole Grazioli (JR/Lockport, Illinois) would knock McCarty in in the very next at bat.
•   Brooke Boss (SR/Delavan, Wisconsin) homered in the bottom of the second inning to increase the Titan lead to 4-0.
•   The Titans would add two runs to their lead in the third inning, as Grazioli would pick up her second RBI of the game on a double to drive in Kiah Ferrell (JR/Plainfield, Indiana). IUSB would capitalize on Lakers errors to score the second run of the inning.
•   Roosevelt would not give up, as they score an unearned run in their half of the fourth inning.
•   The Titans would tack on one more run in the fifth inning on a Kat Bessler (JR/Brookston, Indiana) RBI single. Roosevelt would fight back for one more run in the sixth before being shut down by the Titans.
-    Becca Stevens (SO/Mooresville, Indiana) earned the win in the circle, giving up just five hits and one earned run while striking out six batters. Bailey Bruce (SR/Indianapolis, Indiana) picked up the save tossing a scoreless seventh inning.
Game 2 HIGHLIGHTS
•   The Lakers jumped out to quick 3-0 lead in the first inning. However, the Titans would fight back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs of their own. Grazioli and Shelby Baker(SO/Plainfield, Indiana) each picked up hits and RBI’s in the inning.
•   Each team would be unable to add to their scoring line until Roosevelt was able to break through for three more runs in the top half of the fifth inning.
•   The Titans would not give up hope as they would score two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to 4-6. McCarty lead off the inning with a single, followed by a Ferrell RBI double. Grazioli would add another RBI to her stat line, as she drove in Ferrell on a ground out to second base.
•   The Titans would surrender two more runs to the Lakers in the top of the seventh, which would prove to be costly. The Titans headed into their final at bats trailing, 4-8.
•   IUSB would come out fighting in their final at bats of the game. Bessler reached on a Roosevelt error, bringing Savanna Schmitz to the plate. Schmitz would drive a ball down the first base line, and she would round all the bases for an in the park home run. The first of her career.
•   McCarty followed that up with a single, followed by a Ferrell RBI single. Ferrell would steal second base, but the tying run would be stranded on the base paths after a valiant Titan effort.
•   McCarty, Ferrell, and Baker each finished the game with two hits; Grazioli and Schmitz each one. Schmitz, Ferrell, and Grazioli each had two RBI’s in the game.
-   Aly Brickel (JR/Hicksville, Ohio) took the loss on the mound, pitching three innings before Ferrell relieved her for three innings of her own. Ashley Cox (SO/Mooresville, Indiana) threw one scoreless inning, giving up just one hit.
ON DECK
•   The Titans will continue their busy week of games on Wednesday, April 3rd when they head to Whiting, Ind. to take of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Game one is set to begin at 4:00 PM ET followed by game two around 6:00 PM ET.
