Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
VERONA, Wis. – The Edgewood College softball team earned a split over non-conference Loras College at Ceniti Park in Verona on Thursday night. Following a 9-1 loss in game one, the Eagles came from behind to get a 10-7 win in game two and moved their record to 8-10 overall.
In game one, Edgewood College sure didn't look like a team that scored 20 runs and pounded out six homers in a pair of wins a night earlier. Loras right handed pitcher Michelle Sabatini needed only five innings to get her ninth win of the season and fell one strikeout shy of tying the Loras single game record with her 14 punch outs.
The Eagles threatened in the first inning with a 1-out double from Emily Monson and a couple walks to follow to load the bases. Sabatini then walked a run in when she gave Rachel Elliott a free pass, but recovered with her third strikeout of the inning to keep the damage to a minimum. The Duhawks (9-9) took advantage and swung the momentum in their favor with three runs in the second inning and it was all downhill from there as they went on to the 9-1 victory in five innings. Jenna Ryan took the loss as Edgewood College managed just four hits, but would get revenge in game two.
The Eagles may have had the better outcome in the second game, but certainly made their fair share of miscues. Six errors led to five unearned runs and saw a 5-2 lead vanish late in the game. A 3-run fifth inning for the Duhawks tied the game at five, thanks in large part to three Eagle errors leading to all three tallies. In the sixth, Loras scored twice more to take a 7-5 lead and it appeared another one was slipping away. However, the Eagles had their heavy hitters due up in the bottom half of the frame.
With one out in the sixth, Colleen Joyce continued her remarkable tear with an RBI double to drive in Leslie Osman who reached on an infield single earlier. It was Joyce's third hit in three at bats in the game, one of which cleared the center field fence in the first inning. She drove in four while scoring three runs in game two and has four home runs in her last four games. The Eagles would score five times in the inning to take a 10-7 lead and go onto win.
Jamie Kurt drew four walks and stole three bases, making her a perfect 8-for-8 this season on thefts this season. The first four hitters in the Eagle lineup went 7-for-10 at the plate and reached base in an astounding 13-of-16 trips. They also combined to score seven runs and drive five in the win.
The busy schedule continues for Edgewood College as they take on Lakeland on Saturday in a Northern Athletics Conference match-up. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Ceniti Park in Verona.
