RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Saint Mary's Softball moved locations but stayed in the same city on Saturday, as they shifted to the home of California Baptist softball for a doubleheader. This time, the Gaels took on a pair of schools from the Ivy League in Harvard and Columbia. SMC was up to the task, nearly taking down the Crimson in game one before stymying the Lions in game two, thanks to a stellar performance from Sofia Earle. After splitting on Saturday, the Gaels are now 6-13.
 
Game 1: Harvard 3, Saint Mary's 2
 
WOOLSEY WOWS
Kayla Scott began the game in the circle for Saint Mary's but was roughed up in her 2.1 innings, allowing six hits and all three runs to score for Harvard. Marissa Woolsey came on in relief of Scott and delivered her best performance of the season, keeping Saint Mary's in the game. Woolsey allowed just two hits and a walk through 4.2 innings, striking out four and throwing 82 pitches. The performance lowered her season ERA to just 3.82. When she came into the game, the Gaels were down 3-0, and without her, SMC might not have had a chance to make the game interesting in the final innings.
 
CHIPPING AWAY
The Gaels got their runs in the third and sixth innings, and some of the usual suspects were right in the middle of the rallies. Lindsay Cabral singled with one out in the third and was promptly moved to third when Sasa Koria doubled out to right field. Marissa Nishihara brought home the Gaels first run on a groundout to second, making it 3-1. In the sixth inning, Nishihara kick-started the rally by singling and stealing second base, and she came around to score when Indya Smith reached on an error by the Harvard first baseman, making it a 3-2 game.
 
ONE AWAY
Saint Mary's created some tense moments in the bottom of the seventh inning when they had a chance to tie the game. Claudia Kirchner delivered a pinch-hit double to the gap in right center with one out, meaning the Gaels had two chances to bring her home. Unfortunately, a strikeout and a pop out ended the comeback bid for SMC and gave Harvard the game one win.
 
Game 2: Saint Mary's 3, Columbia 1
 
ONE-HIT WONDER
For the second time this season, Sofia Earle spun an absolute gem in the circle. While she didn't get credit with a shutout, Earle failed to allow an earned run across seven innings of work, allowing just one hit to Columbia in the victory. That hit came in the fourth inning, when a leadoff double threatened to put Saint Mary's into a bigger hole than the 1-0 deficit they already faced. She worked her way around a pair of walks, loading up the bases, to escape the inning. Taking the first inning (one unearned run) and the fourth out of the game, Earle did not allow a hit and walked just two batters. For the game, she struck out eight Lions en route to her third win of the 2022 season.
 
LUSK FOR THE LEAD
The fourth inning is when Saint Mary's got themselves rolling offensively, taking the lead and never looking back. Marissa Nishihara opened the inning with a quick triple, and on the next pitch, she scored after an Alex Casas RBI single, tying the game at 1-1. Angelina Franco was hit by a pitch, but it looked like the inning might stall after a pair of outs. A successfully-executed double steal set up Holly Lusk, who delivered with her biggest hit of the season, sending one into left field to score both runs and put the Gaels up 3-1, more than enough for their seasoned ace in the circle.
 
UP NEXT
The weekend in Riverside concludes on Sunday morning with a rematch against Harvard set for 10:00 am at the home of California Baptist. The Gaels will then enjoy a few days off before their home opener against North Dakota, set for March 19 with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 pm.