Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
LISLE, Ill. – The Edgewood College softball team jumped back into Northern Athletics Conference play on Saturday as they traveled to take on conference leading Benedictine University. The Eagles of Benedictine scored in all but three innings all day and came away with an 11-0 win in game one and took game two 9-5.
After a leadoff walk in the top of the first inning in game one, Emily Monson advanced to second base on a Karmen Dorshorst sacrifice bunt. However, Benedictine's pitcher Brittany Adcox sat down the next two Eagles to end the inning. Adcox did not look back as she didn't allow another Edgewood College (8-12, 5-5 NAC) base runner until the fifth inning. In that inning, Jessica Spitzer ripped the Eagles only hit of the game back up the middle.
In the bottom of the first inning, Benedictine (25-4, 14-0 NAC) put pressure on the Edgewood College defense early and often as the leadoff batter laced a double to left field. After a single and a hit batter, the Eagles' leadoff batter came into score on an error to give Benedictine the 1-0 advantage. The next batter, Erin Galloway, drove in two more runs with a single through the left side. Benedictine tacked on one more run in the inning to take a 4-0 lead after one inning.
Benedictine extended their lead in the second inning when they scored five more runs. Four different Eagle batters recorded run scoring singles and the other run came in on a wild pitch as Benedictine took a commanding 9-0 lead after two innings. Benedictine tacked on two more runs in the third inning before relief pitcher Brittany Andrews retired them in order in the fourth inning to make the final score 11-0 in five innings due to the eight run mercy rule.
For Edgewood College in the game, Rachel Elliott started the game in the circle and lasted two innings while Andrews threw the final two innings in relief. At the plate it was Spitzer who recorded the Eagles' only hit as Edgewood College only had two base runners all game long.
In game two it looked as though Edgewood College had something going in the first inning as their leadoff hitter reached on a single. However, she got picked off before the next batter struck out. Then Spitzer ripped a double to left center and put pressure back on the Benedictine defense. Nevertheless, the next batter grounded out to end the threat and keep the score tied.
In the second inning, Claire Blake led off the inning with a single was sacrificed to second by Hannah Grossen. However, Sam Corban, the Benedictine pitcher, struck out the next batter, and then after hitting Elliott Corban ended the threat with another strike out.
Benedictine got their offense rolling again in the second inning as Corban singled and then scored on a Stephanie Rybarczyk triple. The next batter singled to drive in a run, and then after a double steal the Benedictine tallied another run on a sacrifice fly before scoring their final run of the inning on another triple to take a 4-0 lead.
With Benedictine leading 6-0 after four innings, Edgewood College started to fight their way back in the fifth. Elliott started the inning with a single through the left side and scored when the next batter, Kayla Rackow, reached on a fielding error. Monson then singled before Dorshorst dropped down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third with just one out. After another out, Colleen Joyce laced a two-run single to center field to cut the deficit to 6-3 after four and a half innings.
Benedictine extended their lead to 8-3 with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Edgewood College continued to chip away in the sixth inning as Grossen and Pam Sommer recorded consecutive singles to start the inning. Both runners came into score in when pinch hitter, Kristen Salvatore crushed a double to left field to cut the deficit to three runs.
Benedictine tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning before putting in Adcox to pitch in the top of the seventh. After the first two batters were retired, Blake ripped a double down the left field line before Adcox got the final batter to ground out and give Benedictine the 9-5 win.
Monson and Blake paced the Eagle offense in game two as they each went 2-for-4 at the plate. Blake also threw all six innings in the circle for Edgewood College and recorded two strike outs while giving up all nine runs.
Edgewood College will stay in the Chicago area to play Aurora University on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
