The Monmouth College softball team finally got to play at home on Wednesday with two games against Illinois Wesleyan. The Scots lost the opener 4-0 and were no-hit in the second game, losing 5-1 as the game was called due to darkness after five innings.
In the opening game, the Scots had the better chances to score early. Monmouth had two runners on base in both the first and third innings but couldn't push a run across.
The Titans scored against
Abby Leber (Tremont, Illinois) in the fourth with two hits and a wild pitch. Monmouth left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning and IWU scored again in the fifth and seventh to extend to a 4-0 lead.
The Scots threatened in the seventh as they loaded the bases with one out on hits by
MyKenzie Kloess (Dupo, Illinois) and
Calista Warmowski (Fox Lake, Illinois) plus a walk to
Madelyn Belville (Rushville, Illinois). However, the Titans got a strikeout and a groundout to end the game.
Leber took the loss, allowing two runs on five hits over four innings while striking out three.
Anna McCarty (Decatur, Illinois) threw the final three innings and struck out one while allowing two runs.
The Titans scored in each of the first three innings in the nightcap. A home run gave them a 5-0 lead after the top of the third.
Monmouth didn't have a base runner until the fifth inning.
Olivia Riddley (Chatham, Illinois) walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. With one out, she scored on a throwing error to get the Scots on the board.
After the next out, the umpires called the game due to darkness. The Scots did not have a hit in the game against IWU starter Natalie Grubczak who struck out two and walked one.
Addison Steward (Danvers, Illinois) took the loss. Lizzie Durfee (Arlington, Washington) threw 2 ? shutout innings in relief.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Leber is now tied for 13th on the Scots career appearances list for pitchers with 43 games…She is also ninth in starts with 39…Leber is 10th in innings pitched with 230 ? innings…Warmowski and Kloess both had two hits in the opener…Kloess had her 17th career double, tied for 20th in school history…If the weather cooperates, the Scots will host Augustana for a double header at 11 a.m. on Saturday and play a double header at Simpson College on Sunday with a 1 p.m. start.
