LIVONIA, Mich. -- The Siena Heights softball team split a doubleheader with Michigan-Dearborn in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference competition, winning 7-6 before losing 9-6 on Saturday. The Saints also secured a berth to the WHAC Tournament.
Taylor Hayes, who homered in each game, went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI in game one.
An RBI single by Tiffany Jones put the Saints ahead 1-0 in the second inning before a two-run blast by Hayes helped SHU to a 3-0 advantage in the third.
UMD then scored six consecutive runs, including five in the fourth and one in the sixth, to set the stage for SHU's four-run seventh.
Trailng 6-3, the Saints (17-17, 8-8) scored four runs without putting a ball in play: one via walk and three via passed balls.
Katie O'Hotzke was the winning pitcher for Siena Heights, allowing six runs on seven hits while recording nine strikeouts and four walks.
Kayla Goodwin, who was the losing pitcher, finished with three strikeouts and six walks.
Michelle Hollister (double) went 2-for-4 for Wolverines (16-23, 4-11).
In game two, SHU fell behind 5-0 and never found its way into the lead.
Hayes batted 3-for-4 with two runs, three RBI and the round-tripper. Morgan Warfield also drove in three runs.
Dearborn scored once in the first and four times in the second before SHU finally came back with three runs in the third. Hayes had an RBI double and then Warfield smashed a two-run double to cut into the deficit.
Hayes' dinger in the fifth closed a Wolverine lead to 7-4, but UMD answered with two more runs to go up 9-4 in the bottom half.
The Saints scored the game's final two runs in the seventh; Hayes had an RBI single and Warfield hit a sacrifice fly.
Hayes was the losing pitcher in the circle, giving up five runs (three earned) on 11 hits. She had one strikeout and three walks in four innings of work.
Paige Altherr was the winning pitcher for UMD. Makenzie Trowbridge (double) batted 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
The Saints will play again on Thursday when they visit Concordia for a WHAC doubleheader.
