FITCHBURG, Wis. – The Edgewood College softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Beloit College (8-8) Wednesday in the Eagles’ (7-9) home opener from McGaw Park. Edgewood came up short in game one by a final score of 7-5 before routing the Buccaneers 9-1 in the nightcap.
The Eagles plated five runs in their last three at-bats, but the rally was too little, too late in game one. A grand slam by Beloit’s Katie Algrem with two outs in the top of the first inning gave the Bucs an early 4-0 advantage. Beloit added another run in the second to go up 5-0 and took a 7-0 lead in the fifth on Algrem’s two-run double. Five of the Bucs’ seven runs were unearned.
Edgewood responded with three runs in the bottom half of the fifth. Katie Hensgen (Waunakee, Wis.), Jennifer Ley (Mineral Point, Wis.), and Carrie Clum (Pomona, Colo.) initiated the rally following three consecutive hits from the trio to leadoff off frame.
Ley blasted her first homerun of the season, a solo shot to deep center field, in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 7-4 in favor of Beloit. An RBI single by Amy Bahler (Monroe, Wis.) got the Eagles within two and brought the potential game-winning run to plate with nobody out in the seventh. However, Beloit starting pitcher Dani Meehan retired the next three batters she faced to hang on for the win.
Jessica Stephens (St. Charles, Ill.), Hensgen, and Ley collected two hits each for Edgewood. Eagle starting pitcher Kristen Borre (Beloit, Wis.) lasted four complete innings. Borre surrendered four hits and one earned run before she was relieved by Jessica Courchaine, who finished the game. Courchaine gave up three hits and one earned run. Borre was charged with the loss. It was her first decision of the season.
Seven Eagle hitters scattered base hits in game two, and the team took advantage of six Beloit errors en route to the game-shortened, eight-run rule victory. Brittany Butcher (St. Charles, Ill.) improved to 5-4 in the pitcher’s circle. Butcher allowed four hits, an unearned run, and she struck out seven in five innings of work.
Beloit’s lone run came in the top of the first on an RBI single by Jackie Byrnes. Edgewood took over the lead by scoring three runs in the third inning and exploded for six more runs in the bottom of the fifth, when the game was called in favor of the Eagles with the bases loaded and two outs.
Edgewood returns to Lake Michigan Conference play this Saturday, April 9 with a doubleheader at Wisconsin Lutheran College. First pitch is scheduled for Noon in Milwaukee.
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