LEAD

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- Maranatha couldn't match Hannibal-LeGrange at bat, falling 1-16 and 0-11 in the double-header. 

Lindsay Mikkelson led the Sabercats with two hits on the day, followed by Ashley Nerat and Kaili Swaffer who each recorded one. 

OVERVIEW

• Results Game One: Maranatha 1-16 Hannibal LeGrange (five-innings)
• Results Game Two: Maranatha 0-11 Hannibal LeGrange (five-innings)
• Venue: HLGU Field - Hannibal, Missouri
• Attendance: 25
• Records: MBU (0-4), HLGU (2-20)

STORY

Game 1
Hannibal-LeGrange got the bats going early in the game, recording one triple, one double, and three single's to give them a 3-0 lead after the first inning. Lindsay Mikkelson started things off for the Sabercats at the top of the second, after crushing a triple out to right field. But unfortunately she was left stranded, as two stike-outs sent Maranatha back to the field.

While the Trojans continued to hit the gaps throughout the next two innings, upping their score to 12-0 after the third, it wasn't until the top of the fourth when things started to look promising for the Sabercats. After a couple of walks and a single from Kaili Swaffer, Maranatha found themselves in a bases loaded scenario. One more walk sent Bethany Searle home, putting Maranatha on the board for their first run of the season. 

But that's all the Sabercats could produce, eventually falling 1-16 after five-innings. 

Game 2
The Sabercats showed improvement in the second game, despite having some rough patches. In the bottom of the first and third innings, fielding errors from Maranatha awarded the Trojans a combined 9 runs. But, solid defense in the second and fourth kept Hannibal-LeGrange to one run in each. 

Offensively, the Sabercats could not get a handle at bat, going three and out in all but the first inning resulting in a 0-11 loss.  

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Maranatha Lineup Game 1 - Melville (C), Searle (P), Strauch (SS), Malmanger (2B), Nerat (1B), Mullikin (3B), Mikkelson (LF), Swaffer (CF), Gaul (RF)

Maranatha Lineup Game 2 - Nerat (C), McIntyre (P), Strauch (SS), Malmanger (2B), Melville (1B), Searle (3B), Mikkelson (LF), Swaffer (CF), Gaul (RF)

STATS

• Last Time: This is the first meeting between the two teams.
• Series: Hannibal-LeGrange now leads Maranatha 2-0 in the series.

OPPONENTS

• Hannibal LeGrange competes in the American Midwest Conference (NAIA)
• Hannibal LeGrange also competes in the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association Dl North Central Region
• Hannibal LeGrange finished the 2023 season with a record of 14-35

NEXT

The Sabercats travel to Carlinville, Missouri to face Blackburn College in a double-header on Friday, March 22, starting at 5 P.M. Details at mbusabercats.com/schedule.