The Lindenwood softball team (17-3, 4-0 GLVC) squeaked out two more GLVC wins on Monday afternoon, fending off Quincy (4-15, 0-4 GLVC) as the visitors from Lou Brock Sports Complex. The Lions have now won 11 straight games to set a new NCAA-era program record for consecutive victories.
 
Due to weather concerns, Monday's games were moved to St. Charles, Mo. However, Quincy remained the home team, as it were originally scheduled to host the league twin bill.
 
Lindenwood needed extra innings once again in the day's opener, with Megan Clark providing the game-winning sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th to lift the Lions to a 2-1 victory. The Lindenwood bats collected 12 more hits in the finale, upping its Monday total to 26, to earn a thrilling 3-1 win as Brianna Macias recorded her first career save.
 
GAME ONE OVERVIEW
In the second extra-inning contest in as many days, the Lions were able to clinch the victory in the team's final at-bat. Morgan Gersch smacked a double down the left-field line before a single from Irelynn West put the junior at third base with one out. Clark then sent a 2-2 offering into deep center to plate Gersch, giving Lindenwood the much-needed second tally.
 
The bottom of the 10th was no picnic for reliever Marina Esparza, who faced a bases-loaded threat with one out. Second baseman Megan Clark was in the perfect position for Quincy's Taylor Downen, the next batter in the lineup, as she snagged a screamer and picked off the first-base runner to end the game with a line-drive double play.
 
Esparza finished with the relief win, following starter Amanda Weyh's nine-strikeout eight-inning performance.
 
GAME ONE LEADERS
West (3-for-5)
Gersch (2-for-5, 2B)
Pelton (2-for-5, 2B)
Weyh (8.0 IP, 9 K)
 
GAME TWO OVERVIEW
Esparza started game two fresh off a pair of relief frames, going five innings and allowing just one hit. The Lions were once again facing a one-out bases-loaded threat from the Hawks, but this time it was Macias who induced a 4-6-3 double play to lift Lindenwood to a 3-1 victory.
 
Clark gave the Lions a 1-0 lead in the second with a knock that scored Weyh, who had previously singled and stole second base to get into scoring position. After a run-scoring double from Whitney Kinser in the fifth inning, Clark tacked on a two-bagger of her own in the sixth – plating Weyh again – to increase the advantage to three.
 
Macias surrendered three hits to the Hawks in the bottom of the seventh before forcing Quincy's Jayle Jennings into the game-ending double play.
 
GAME TWO LEADERS
Clark (2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2B)
Weyh (2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, SB)
Kinser (2-for-4, RBI, 2B)
Taylor Bushman (2-for-3, BB)
 
NOTABLE
- The Lindenwood pitching staff has allowed one run or less in eight consecutive games.
- With a pair of hits in each game on Monday, Kinser increased her team-high hitting streak to five.
- The Lions also began 4-0 in conference action a year ago, starting GLVC play with five straight wins.
- Freshman Mya Bethany drew her third start of the spring in game two, playing left field.
 
QUOTABLE
"Our defense has been stand-out for us this season," the graduate student Clark said following the wins. "We have had so much as an infield and our goal is to always make those plays. Me and Whitney Wendel have been together up the middle for a long time so we vibe off each other, we have that flow and rhythm, and that's how we make it work."
 
On pulling out some close wins, Clark also said: "Coach Brown's motto – she says this to us before every game – is that no game is more important than the one right in front of us. We can't look down the road; we have to look at our opponent on the field with us right now. And that's when we need to capitalize and make it work. She says, "The game never knows. We may be ranked higher, but the game never knows and we have to prove that every inning and every pitch," and that's how we stay focused on what's in front of us."
 
UP NEXT
Lindenwood hosts two more GLVC doubleheaders next weekend, with William Jewell visiting Lou Brock Sports Complex on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.