April 24, 2009

Story courtesy of Madonna Sports Information

LIVONIA, Mich. – Madonna (Mich.) sophomore Jess Irwin set yet another school record on Thursday (April 23) with her complete game win over Siena Heights (Mich.) as the right hander broke the all-time wins mark at Madonna with her 49th career victory. MU swept the twinbill 7-1 and 8-0.

Irwin (Monroe, Mich.) threw a complete game in the opener, striking out 12 while allowing just three hits to move to 25-6. The win was Irwin's 49th career victory, moving her into first place all-time at MU, one ahead of Jenny Tenyer (2000-03).

Irwin now holds the Madonna career records for wins (49) and strike outs (596). She set the punch out mark earlier this season against Great Falls. Last week she broke her own single season record, passing the old mark of 275 set in 2008 with her 276th against Siena Heights last week.

The Crusaders got an equally good performance from fellow righty Hallie Minch (Garden City, Mich.) in the night cap, as the freshman allowed three hits while striking out seven and not issuing a walk to pick up her 19th win of the year.

Sophomore Ashley Shay (Garden City, Mich.) led the Madonna hit parade, going 4-for-6 with two RBI. Junior first baseman Cat Sidor (Livonia, Mich.) drove in three in the opener, hitting a double and a triple while Mary Kate Setta (Grass Lake, Mich.), Tori Turner (Milan, Mich.) and Shay all posted triples in the night cap.

In the opener MU opened the scoring in the bottom of the third, plating three runs. Kathleen Smiley (Wixom, Mich.) reached on a lead off walk and then stole second. Kelly Lesko (Trenton, Mich.) followed with a walk while a bunt single from Brittney Scero (Canton, Mich.) loaded the bases for Sidor. Sidor unloaded the bases with a double to left center to make it 3-0.

The Crusaders added another run in the fourth when Turner - who had singled and moved up bunts by Smiley and Lesko - came home when Lesko got hung up in a rundown long enough to allow the MU rookie Turner to score and make it 4-0.

Madonna tacked on three more runs in the fifth as Sidor hit a one-out triple and came home on a Danielle Richardson (Flint, Mich.) single to make it 5-0. Shay then roped a double that scored pinch runner Setta from second for a 6-0 lead. The lead grew to 7-0 when Shay was able to come home on a Saint miscue off the bat of Tedi Johnston (New Boston, Mich.) for a 7-0 lead.

A Crusader miscue in the top of the sixth allowed the Saints to get on the board but Irwin struck out the final four outs of the game for the win.

In the night cap the Crusaders were held off the scoreboard until the bottom of the fourth inning when Tara LaMilza (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) reached on a two-out double and came into score on a single by Johnston to make it 1-0.

The MU lead grew to 7-0 in the fifth when Turner led off with a triple and came home on a SHU miscue that allowed Smiley to reach. After a ground out moved Smiley to second, Scero singled to score Smiley and make it 3-0. Setta then doubled in Scero for a 4-0 cushion and Cooley followed Setta's double with one of her own to make it 5-0. Shay tripled to right to score Cooley and make it 6-0. Johnston then reached on a walk and a wild pitch allowed Shay to score for the 7-0 lead.

MU closed the run-rule win out in the sixth when Setta tripled to right with two outs and Cooley singled her in for the 8-0 win.

The Crusaders stay at University Field on Friday, hosting Cornerstone in a 4pm double header.