Tucson, AZ - The softball team defeated the 25th ranked University of St. Francis (IL) Fighting Saints 7-6 on Monday. The Wolverines fell behind 2-0 in the bottom of the second but responded with two runs of their own in the top of the third. The tying run coming off a Jordan Ewald single scoring Val Bertani. Michigan-Dearborn would take a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth on a Makenzie Trowbridge homerun. St. Francis would regain the lead 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth and then score two more runs in the bottom of the fifth chasing starter Gina Verduzco. Freshman Candace Kitchen came in and shut down the Fighting Saints for the remainder of the game.
The Wolverines would tie it up in the sixth inning with the big blow a Bertani double scoring Taylor Moceri and Riley Miller. Michigan-Dearborn would take the lead in the top of the seventh when Nikki Payne doubled scoring Morgan Larkin. Kitchen allowed two runners to reach base in the bottom of the seventh but struck out the final batter of the game securing the 7-6 win for the Wolverines and earning her first collegiate win as a pitcher.
The softball team dropped the next two games on Monday. The Wolverines lost 3-1 to Purdue University-Calumet and 5-2 to Olivet Nazarene. The softball team is off on Tuesday and will resume play on Wednesday with three more games beginning with a game against Arizona Christian.
