MILWAUKEE – Mount Mary took full advantage of tough playing conditions Friday in its softball season finale, but unfortunately so did the opponent as Milwaukee School of Engineering handled the Blue Angels 17-9 on its home field. 

Despite the rain falling down and the clay-like infield, spirits were high as Mount Mary started hot at the plate to open the game. Senior Emily Barker (Oconomowoc, Wis.) led off the game with a single to right field, and senior Katie Wolk (Oshkosh, Wis.) reached on an error that pushed Barker all the way to third base. Sophomore Katie Edwards (Mackinaw, Ill.) came through after Wolk stole second base, smacking a single to deep right center for Mount Mary's first two runs of the game. Junior Nicole Ordway (Republic, Wash.) added a single, and she and Edwards both advanced a base into scoring position on a wild pitch. Sophomore Dani Christian (Pelican Lake, Wis.) picked up her biggest hit of the year with a shot through the left side, scoring both Edwards and Ordway. Despite two more runners reaching base in the inning, no other Blue Angel would score, but Mount Mary posted its best offensive inning of the year surging to a 4-0 lead.

That lead unfortunately didn't last very long, as MSOE was just as hot at the plate, notching an impressive eight runs on seven hits and one costly MMC error. The Blue Angels responded in the second with another leadoff single by Barker followed by an RBI shot from Edwards to pull within 8-5, but MSOE pushed a pair of two-out runs across to reclaim its commanding 10-5 lead.

Leverenz got things started in the third, reaching base on an error by the second baseman and advanced to second on a passed ball. Freshman Michelle Argenzio (Brookfield, Wis.) and junior Nina Her (Brown Deer, Wis.) both walked to load up the bases with one out, and Barker picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice. The errors continued for the Raiders, as Wolk picked up an RBI on a mishandled ball by the shortstop, scoring Argenzio from third. Just like she did in the first inning, Edwards hit a deep boomer to right center to knock around Barker and Wolk to pull to within one run, 10-9.

Yet again, MSOE blasted a seven-run response in its half of the third to surge away from any danger. Despite a deep triple to right center by senior Ashley Leverenz (Mauston, Wis.) in the fourth, Mount Mary failed to push anyone across as the 17-9 score was made final.

Whereas the Mount Mary offense laid dormant for much of the season, it definitely came alive in Friday's matchup as the Blue Angels tallied season-highs in runs scored (9), hits (9), extra-base hits (2), triples (1) and team batting average (.360). MMC also tallied seven walks and committed just three errors—better showings than MSOE in both stat categories.

Edwards led the way going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and a season-best five RBI. Barker recorded her first multi-hit game of the year, going 2-for-3 with one RBI and three runs scored.

Also making the matchup special was both teams' commitment to Strikeout Cancer, raising money for cancer research. Through t-shirt sales and donations, Mount Mary, sporting pink socks and warm-up shirts for breast cancer awareness, raised over $340 and pooled its proceeds with those at MSOE which wore orange for leukemia awareness. A three-year-old brother of one of the Raiders who is battling child leukemia threw out the ceremonial first pitch.