Bats Breakout as Softball Sweeps Knox on Saturday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/27/2024) — The Monmouth College softball team swept Knox with a pair of run-rule victories on Saturday in Galesburg. The sweep moves the Fighting Scots to 5-7 in MWC action, tied with Lawrence for fifth while Cornell is 7-5. The scheduled home doubleheader between Monmouth and Cornell has been postponed from Sunday to a later date. Full box scores of today's game were not provided.

The Scots set the tone in the top of the first inning of game one. Karliegh Ashby (Monmouth, Illinois) singled, stole second and scored on a double by Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois). . Grace Wyman (Pekin, Illinois) made it 2-0 with a double and Jordan Latnez (Alexis, Illinois) singled for a 3-0 lead.

Ashby doubled with two outs in the second and Lewis doubled again for a 4-0 lead. Wyman walked and both runners scored on a double by Grace Goodrich (Lake Villa, Illinois) for a 6-0 lead.

Alyssa Hefflefinger (Olin, Iowa) kept Knox off the board and the Scots added on in the third. She helped her own cause with a single and eventually scored on a single by Alexis Hardy (Rushville, Illinois).The Scots pushed the lead to 8-0 in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Lewis and a single by Savannah Powers (Volo, Illinois). Ashby tripled and scored while Goodrich doubled and scored in the inning.

Hefflefinger picked up the win as she tied her career high with six innings pitched. The freshman struck out four and did not allow a run in the complete game win.

GAME TWO

Game two was scoreless after an inning before the Scots got the bats going again. Lantz was hit by a pitch, Marie Vega (Chicago, Illinois) walked and Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois) walked. A wild pitch gave the Scots a 1-0 lead and another wild pitch made it 2-0. Ashby. Wyman and Goodrich all singled home runs for a 5-0 before Lantz drove in two with a single to cap the inning.

Up 7-2, Monmouth added on in the third. Hardy walked with one out and Ashby doubled. Lewis reached on an error as Hardy scored for an 8-2 lead and Goodrich singled home two more for a 10-2 lead.

Ashby doubled home Hardy and Vega in the fourth for a 12-3 lead. Addison Steward (Danvers, Illinois) threw the final two innings as Monmouth completed the sweep. Kayleigh Cobb (Pawnee, Illinois) started on the mound with three innings of work and two strikeouts in the win.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Lantz was hit by a pitch for the 16th time this season, one off the Monmouth career record Ashby had three hits in both games Lewis had two hits and three RBI in game one and a RBI in game two Goodrich had four hits in game two while two in the openerLantz had two RBI in game two while Ashby, Lewis, Vega and Hardy all scored two runs Hefflefinger has gone six innings three times this season Saturday was her first complete game and second win The Scots are 83-29 all-time against Knox with three straight wins Sunday's home DH against Cornell has been postponed to a later date The Scots play at Beloit on Sunday, May 5 at 1 p.m.

Grace

Goodrich