The Monmouth College softball team went to Galesburg on Tuesday and swept Knox to secure their longest winning streak since 2019. The Fighting Scots (10-16, 5-1) won game one 3-2 and took game two 5-2 to match the best start in conference play in seven years.
"Super happy for the girls to go out and get two wins today," said head coach Heather Turnquist. "Overall two strong team wins again today."
GAME ONE
Neither team scored in the first inning and Monmouth left the bases loaded in the second. Knox took a 1-0 lead against
Alyssa Hefflefinger (Olin, Iowa) in the second with a single, hit batter and RBI single.
The Scots responded in the fourth. With one out,
Graci Guenther (Pekin, Illinois) doubled and
Alexis Hardy (Rushville, Illinois) singled. With two down,
Ella Cunningham (Dunlap, Illinois) walked to load the bases and
Savannah Powers (Volo, Illinois) put the Scots on top 2-1 with a single to center.
Knox tied the game in the sixth with an unearned run after a single, walk and error. Monmouth came right back in the seventh as
Mackenzie Gerard (Jacksonville, Illinois) doubled.with one out and
Brooklyn Millhollin (Peoria, Illinois) walked.
Elizabeth Waymire (Havana, Illinois) put the Scots up 3-2 with a single before a double play ended the inning.
Hefflefinger allowed a pair of singles in the bottom of the seventh but closed the door with a pop up and ground out. She improved to 3-6 with the win while allowing one earned runs on six hits in seven innings of work.
GAME TWO
Knox again took a lead, this time scoring twice in the first inning against starter
Lydia Overcash (Farmington, Illinois). They collected four straight hits to start the game before a pair of strikeouts and a grounder ended the inning.
The Scots got one back in the third.
Karliegh Ashby (Monmouth, Illinois) made it all the way to third on a ball stung into left field but ruled an error. Cunningham put Monmouth on the board with a RBI single.
Gerard led off the fourth with a single and Millhollin singled to right. With one out, Guenther singled but an out on the bases kept the Scots from scoring. Hardy drove in Millhollin with a single to tie the game and after Ashby was hit by a pitch, Cunningham walked for a 3-2 Monmouth lead.
Elizabeth Durfee (Arlington, Washington) took over in the circle in the fifth and blanked the Prairie Fire for two innings. In the seventh, Powers led off with a single and moved to second on a ground out. Millhollin launched a home run to put the Scots on top 5-2.
Knox brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh after a 2-out error and a single. Durfee closed out the game and picked up a save with her third strikeout of the game.
Overcash (3-4) earned the win with two runs allowed on six hits over four innings. She struck out three and did not walk a batter. Durfee fired three shutout innings to pick up the save. The lefty allowed one hit, struck out three and didn't walk a batter.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots have won five in a row, tied for the longest win streak since the 2019 team won eight in a row…The 5-1 start to MWC play is also the best since 2019…Monmouth pitchers did not issue a walk in game two…ne, her 11th multi-hit game of the season…Hefflefinger has three complete games this season and 11 in her career…Durfee picked up her first career save…Gerard had two hits in game one and a double in both games…Monmouth is 86-29 all-time against Knox with seven straight wins…Monmouth plays a 1 p.m. double header at Ripon on Saturday and a DH at Lawrence on Sunday…The next home game is April 25 against Grinnell.
