ST. CHARLES, Mo -- The Lindenwood softball team (3-10) splits its doubleheader with Western Illinois (6-7) on Sunday at Lou Brock Sports Complex. The Leathernecks took game one by a score of 9-6, while the Lions won the second game by a 13-9 margin.
GAME ONE
Senior Keighlan Cronin (1-3) came out of the bullpen for Lindenwood and took the loss. Freshman Avery Wapp was a bright spot for the Lions, starting the ballgame and throwing 8.2 innings, giving up six runs, four earned, on 12 hits, with one walk and five strikeouts.
Sophomore Mya Bethany led the way offensively for the Lions, going 2-for-4 in the ballgame with a triple and an RBI. Sophomore Irelynn West furnished a standout performance as well, going 2-for-5 with a double. Freshman Jolie McMinn also contributed, going 1-for-4 for Lindenwood with two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 1-0, the Lions first put runs on the board in the fourth inning. Lindenwood put up two runs in the frame, highlighted by an RBI triple off the bat of Bethany. The Lions lost the lead they built in the fourth, but got back on the board in the seventh trailing 3-2. Freshman Ally McArdle came across to score the lone run of the inning for Lindenwood, which evened the score at 3-3.
Western Illinois busted up the tie and grabbed a 4-3 lead heading into the eighth, when Lindenwood tied the game at four. The Lions scored once on a run-scoring single off the bat of freshman Tori Hatton. The Leathernecks busted up the tie and took the lead heading into the ninth inning, when Lindenwood got back on the scoreboard. The Lions scored two runs when a single from McMinn brought home junior Karli Goocher and senior Morgan Gersch, evening the score at 6-6. Western Illinois then scored three times over the remaining one inning to break the tie and grab the 9-6 win.
GAME NOTES
» Lindenwood's highest scoring inning was the ninth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Lindenwood pitchers faced 45 Western Illinois hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and 15 fly balls while striking out seven.
» Bethany led the Lions at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.
» Western Illinois was led offensively by junior Alvarez, who went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI.
» Freshman McChristy led the Leathernecks pitching staff, throwing six innings of two-run ball.
GAME TWO
Freshman Molly Heidrick (1-0) started in the circle and picked up the win for Lindenwood. The right-hander went 5.1 innings, giving up six runs, all of them earned, on six hits, allowing three walks and striking out two.
In addition to her four hits, Bethany had two RBI to lead the Lions. Hatton put together a standout performance as well, going 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI. Sophomore Lauren Pelton also chipped in for Lindenwood, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding a double and three RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. Lindenwood's offense started clicking and put up four runs, including a one-run single off the bat of junior Chloe Honchar.
The Leathernecks then gained ground, narrowing the lead to 4-3 until the Lions expanded their advantage in the fourth. The Lindenwood offense exploded for five runs, highlighted by a three-run double off the bat of Hatton, which brought the score to 9-3 in favor of the Lions.
Lindenwood kept Western Illinois without a run before building their lead to 10-3 the following inning. The Lions scored once on an RBI single off the bat of West.
The Leathernecks gained ground, closing the gap to 10-6 until Lindenwood added some insurance in the sixth. The three-run frame for the Lions was punctuated by a two-RBI double from Pelton. bringing the Lindenwood advantage to 13-6. Western Illinois put three runs on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Lions still coasted to the 13-9 win.
GAME NOTES
» Bethany compiled four hits on the day for Lindenwood.
» Hatton drove in four runs for Lindenwood.
» Every Lindenwood starter reached base safely in the win.
» Lindenwood's highest scoring inning was the fourth, when it pushed five runs across.
» Lindenwood took a 4-0 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Four Lions had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Lions out-hit the Leathernecks at a 14-10 clip.
» West stole two bases in Sunday's game.
» The Lions swiped seven bases as a team.
» Lindenwood went 7-for-19 (.368) with runners in scoring position.
» Lindenwood pitchers faced 35 Western Illinois hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out four.
» Hatton led the Lions at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and four RBI.
» Western Illinois was led offensively by senior Rodriguez, who went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI.
» Freshman McChristy led the Leathernecks pitching staff, throwing 2.1 innings of four-run ball.
UP NEXT
Lindenwood will host North Dakota for a doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon at Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.
