PEORIA, Ill. – The Edgewood College Eagles traveled down to Peoria, Ill. for a pair of matchups Thursday night in the MMU Collegiate Slugger Series. They played their second game in a row against the UW-Stevens Point Pointers before battling with the Augustana Vikings. The Eagles (2-2) lost in a walk-off home run in extra innings to the Pointers (4-2), before taking down the Vikings with a walk-off double in 8-7 fashion.
GAME ONE: UWSP 6, EDGEWOOD COLLEGE 6 (8 INNINGS)
- The Eagles struck first in the top of the third. A walk followed by a single and throwing error gave Edgewood College runners on first and third with no outs. An
Olivia Hebert single brought in the first run, before a
Alyse Maurer double brought in two more runs to leave it 3-0.
- The Eagles struggled to take advantage of runners in scoring position late in innings, while the Pointers tied up the game in the fifth. With two outs in the inning, a double followed b a wild pitch put the first run on the board for Stevens Point. A two-run home run tied the game and neither team threatened much else in the final two innings of regular play.
- With each team getting an extra runner on second, Edgewood College failed to capitalize in the top of the eighth. The Pointers cleared out the bases and ended the game with a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the frame.
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Gracie Halfman hit two-for-two with a walk in her three plate appearances. Maurer batted in two runs.
- Stevens Point's pitching staff fanned 14 Eagles while allowing only three hits in the win.
Tatum Duff threw five innings, allowing only three runs while tossing three strikeouts.
GAME TWO: EDGEWOOD COLLEGE 8, AUGUSTANA 7
- Two errors put Edgewood College on the wrong footing early, allowing the Vikings to snag a 3-0 lead. The Eagles gained two runs back with an
Elizabeth Malarski double to right and a
Jenna Sanchez triple to center in the bottom of the frame.
- A two-run blast by Hebert gave Edgewood College a 4-3 lead after two, before sloppy pitching by Augustana led to
Camden Shepherd bringing in a run after being hit by pitch with the bases loaded in the third, but a pair of strikeouts limited the damage.
- The fourth inning was quiet for both squads, but the Vikings appeared to pick up steam in the fifth. A single up the middle made it 6-4 after five. Small ball struck again in the sixth with four of five Augustana at-bats being singles. The fourth up the middle brought in a pair of runs to tie the game at six apiece.
- Errors were a big problem for the Eagles in the top of the seventh. An error by the third baseman let the leadoff runner on-base, before a wild pitch gave the Vikings a runner on second with one out. A catcher's interference loaded the bases with two outs before a single to the pitcher made it 7-6 Augustana.
- Needing runs to turn the tide, the Edgewood College offense got to work.
Kya Loffswold's single to left field capitalized on runners on first and third with no outs to tie the game, before a Shepherd double to left center sent the Eagles home with a walk-off victory to end the night.
- Malarski hit two-of-three with an RBI and three runs, while Sanchez hit two-of-three with two RBIs.
Gaby Slater earned the victory on the mound, her first as an Eagle.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Edgewood College has lost both meetings with the Pointers and seven in a row. They are 1-16 against Stevens Point since 1991.
- The Eagles are now 1-1 against Augustana since 1996.
- All four games this season have been decided by one run or finished in extra innings.
UP NEXT
Edgewood College wraps up their stay in Peoria, Ill. tomorrow morning. They play against the Loras Duhawks with first pitch scheduled for 8:00 a.m., while they conclude their week with a 10 a.m. start time against the UW-Platteville Pioneers. The Eagles are 4-11 against the Duhawks dating back to 1991, and 4-14 against the Pioneers in the same timeframe.
