DUBUQUE, Iowa. – The Edgewood College softball team split a doubleheader at Clarke College on Thursday, Mar. 31. Both games played at Veterans Park resulted in a 1-0 score with the Eagles (4-8) earning the victory in game one as sophomore pitcher Brittany Butcher (St. Charles, Ill.) hurled a one-hit shutout versus the host Crusaders (5-12).

Butcher led Edgewood into a scoreless tie heading into the top of the sixth inning in game one when, on the offensive end, Butcher grounded out with the bases loaded, but drove in the go-ahead run on the play. Jessica Stephens (St. Charles, Ill.) plated the eventual game-winning run after leading off the inning with a walk. She led the Eagles at the plate, going 2-for-3.

Amy Bahler (Monroe, Wis.) was charged with the pitching loss in the nightcap, but held the Crusaders to just two hits, while striking out seven. Bahler retired 19 of the 22 batters she faced. However, Clarke sneaked in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a pinch-hit, RBI single to right field by Melissa Riesberg.

Half of the Eagles’ four hits came from Jennifer Stephens (St. Charles, Ill.), who finished a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate to raise her team-leading season batting average to .395. Edgewood left five runners stranded on the base paths in game two. The Eagles best opportunity to score came in the sixth inning when Jessica Stephens was thrown out at the plate after she tired scoring from third base on a ground ball to Clarke’s second baseman.

Edgewood will next travel to UW-Stevens Point for a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday, April 2. First pitch is at 1 p.m.

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