Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The Edgewood College softball team ran into a Marian University squad eager to lock up its spot in the Northern Athletics Conference tournament that will begin in less than a week, and they did just that. The Sabres shut down a heavily offensive Eagle squad to sweep the doubleheader, 4-1 and 1-0, in Fond du Lac on Friday night.
The Eagles (15-17, 9-9 NAC) managed just four hits in game one to the credit of Marian pitcher Kristin Rose who allowed only a run while striking out five batters and walking one. Edgewood College got its run in the fifth inning. After Rachel Elliott tripled, Stephanie Schafer then singled her in and, at the time, cut the deficit to 2-1. Elliott finished the game with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate
In the bottom half of the fifth, the Sabres (20-12, 16-4 NAC) got some insurance with two runs on a trio of singles. Rose then finished off the final two innings by retiring six of the final seven batters to preserve the win.
Pitching dominated game two as Edgewood College's Jenna Ryan and Marian's Cherise Waltz battled to the bitter end. Ryan, who gave up a run on only four hits while walking one and striking out another was outpitched by the efforts of Waltz. The Marian pitcher went the distance allowing four hits and striking out four for the shutout win to move to 6-8 on the year. Meanwhile, Ryan falls to 9-10 on the season.
Marian scored the only run of the game in the third inning following a Jenna Whitehead RBI groundout that drove in Kelly Stromski who tripled to lead off the inning. The Eagles had their biggest scoring chance in the fifth inning. Elliott led off with a single followed by a sacrifice bunt by Schafer to advance her a station. Charlie Metcalf then walked and both runners moved up a base after a wild pitch. With one out, Alexandra Baltazar grounded out to third forcing both runners to hold and then Leslie Osman struck out looking to end the frame.
Edgewood College may need to run the table in order to claim the final spot into the NAC tournament. They currently sit in seventh place behind Concordia Wisconsin who holds a tie-breaker against them with a sweep earlier in the season. If the Eagles can't at least get a split with Dominican tomorrow then hopes of making the tournament will greatly diminish.
First pitch between the Eagles and Stars is slated for 6:00 p.m. tomorrow in River Forest, Ill.
