Sacred Heart
12-7
Saint Mary's
2-9
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nishikawa, Mia (4-1)
L: Heath, Emily (1-4)
S: Haun, Madeline (1)
Batting:
2B: Barbera, Alexa 1
RBI: Dwyer, Teagan 1
SH: Bender, Cierra 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Barbera, Alexa 1
Batting:
2B: Brown, Braxton 1
RBI: Prescott, Averie 1 ; Zabat, Mia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tran, Lauren 1 ; Prescott, Averie 1 ; Cuen Camacho, Ruby 1
SB: Cutonilli, Alex 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Softball Drops Both End of Doubleheader at Saint Mary’s
3/3/2026 9:24:00 PM | Softball
The Pios had multiple players record firsts of the season
MORAGA, Calif. – The Sacred Heart University softball team brought an end to its trip to California on Tuesday evening with a pair of losses at Saint Mary's in Moraga, Calif. SHU suffered a 3-1 defeat in the opener and a 15-7 loss in game two.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (2-10)
Saint Mary's (13-7)
Game 1: Saint Mary's 3, SHU 1
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) - (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 1-4 record)
Mia Nishikawa (SMC) - (W, 6.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts, 4-1 record)
Madeline Haun (SMC) - (1.0 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 2 strikeouts, 1 save)
Top Performers:
Elle Leckrone – 2-4
Alexa Barbera – 1-4, 1 run, 1 double
How It Happened:
SHU plated the first run in the opener in the top of the second, stringing together two hits and a walk in the inning. Alexa Barbera hit a one-out double before being driven home on a single from Teagan Dwyer to make it 1-0 SHU.
Unfortunately, the Pioneers did not cross home for the rest of the game. The Gaels scored one run in the fourth inning and two in the sixth to go ahead 3-1.
Sacred Heart was rallying in the seventh, putting two on with no outs. The Pios ended up loading the bases with two outs, but the Gaels held on to take the victory.
Emily Heath was outstanding in the circle in the first game, holding the Gaels to just one earned run.
Game 2: Saint Mary's 15, SHU 7
Pitchers:
Elle Leckrone (SHU) - (L, 0.2 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 0-1 record)
Sam Kowalski (SHU) - (0.2 innings pitched, 4 earned runs)
Emily Campion (SHU) - (4.1 innings pitched, 3 earned runs)
Madeline Haun (SMC) - (W, 5.2 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, 5 strikeouts)
Odhi Vasquez (SMC) - (W, 0.1 innings pitched, 0 earned runs, 1 strikeout, 5-2 record)
Top Performers:
Alexa Barbera – 2-3, 2 runs
How It Happened:
The Gaels took control of game two in the first inning, plating four in the frame. Saint Mary's put together three hits and two walks in the inning.
SHU started to rally in the second, with three straight singles resulting in a run for pinch-running Natalie Aiello. A strikeout followed before an error by the opposing third baseman led the Pios to their second run to make it 4-2, SMC.
Saint Mary's added two runs in the second to rebuild a four-run advantage before a score in the fourth gave the home team a 7-2 lead.
The Pioneers' comeback started again at the top of the sixth, with a hit by pitch, a double and an SMC error starting the inning. Kaelyn Freed brought in the first run after getting hit by a pitch, while an RBI ground out from Ella Stoops made it 7-4.
Another Saint Mary's error led to two Pioneers' runs with two outs before Elle Leckrone scored from first on a single from Ava Lichtenberger. A five-run inning helped the Pios tie the score at 7-7.
Unfortunately for the Pioneers, the Gaels were ready with another answer, scoring eight runs in the home half of the sixth take the game by a 15-7 final score.
Notes:
- Dwyer tallied her first collegiate hit and RBI in the opener.
- Stoops tallied her first collegiate RBI in the second game.
- Kira Palmer and Leckrone had a three-game hit streaks that ended in game two.
- Barbera scored a career-best two runs in the second game.
- Lichtenberger collected her first RBI of the season in game two.
- Freed recorded her first RBI of the season in the nightcap.
Up Next:
The Pioneers head back to the East Coast for its home and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opener against Siena on Saturday, March 7, at 1 & 3 p.m.
