Madonna starts 2-0 in WHAC tourney

The Madonna University women's softball team is two-for-two thus far in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference playoffs.

The WHAC regular season co-champs used seven RBI from sophomore Erin Mayes in a 12-1 win over seventh seed Siena Heights University in the WHAC opener Thursday at Bailey Park in Battle Creek.

Mayes scored the game-winning run on a walkoff double by senior Hallie Minch in MU's 2-1 victory win over No. 3 Aquinas College to remain in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tourney.

Aquinas (27-21-1) opened the game with a run thanks to a Madonna miscue to take an early lead of 1-0 in the top of the first inning.

But MU (31-12) quickly responded as winning pitcher Angela Pavilanis singled home pinch-runner Karleigh Creighton (North Farmington) to make it 1-1 in the bottom of the second.

Hitting went cold for both teams until the bottom of the seventh inning. Mayes drew a leadoff walk before Keuvelaar laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance her to second base with only one out. Minch then connected on a walkoff double to left-center, scoring Mayes and securing the one-run victory.

Pavilanis, a freshman from New Boston, allowed just two hits over seven innings to improve to 16-3 on the season.

Kasey Trierweiler, who went 3-for-3, and Mayes, who went 2-for-4, each homered in the six-inning, mercy-rule victory over Siena Heights.

Arielle Cox, Kristen Drabek and Jackie Barley also finished with two hits and two RBI apiece for the Crusaders, who broke open a close game with three runs in the fifth and six in the sixth.

Minch (13-9) threw a three-hitter, walking only one and striking out six.