Millhollin Drives in Seven, Scots Sweep Beloit on Saturday

Durfee K's 11 as Ashby, Hepner Homer

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/05/2026) — The Monmouth College softball team delivered a rare walk-off on the road and swept Beloit on Saturday. The Fighting Scots (8-16, 3-1) rallied to win the opener 13-12 before winning game two 7-2 to surpass last year's win total.

"The team really powered through the elements today," said head coach Heather Turnquist. "After a big win yesterday it was great to see us keep grinding in the first game and get some clutch hits. Lizzie gave us a great outing in game two and it is great to head home with two wins."

GAME ONE

With the games moved from Monmouth because of inclement weather, the Scots were still the home team. In the bottom of the first, Karliegh Ashby (Monmouth, Illinois) led off with a walk and moved up on a sac bunt and passed ball. Graci Guenther (Pekin, Illinois) put the Scots on top with a single and Savannah Powers (Volo, Illinois) singled. Maddie Hepner (Alexis, Illinois) loaded the bases with a single and Brooklyn Millhollin (Peoria, Illinois) put the Scots up 4-0 with a 3-run double.

Beloit answered in the second against Lydia Overcash (Farmington, Illinois) with a leadoff homer. A walk, passed ball and single made it 4-2.

The Bucs scored three runs in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead. Alyssa Hefflefinger (Olin, Iowa) took over in the circle with the bases loaded and secured the last out.

Ashby led off the fourth with a solo home run, the first of her career, to tie the game. The Scots trailed 6-5 in the fifth when Millhollin drew a 2-out walk. Elizabeth Waymire (Havana, Illinois) walked and Kerigan Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) reached on an error. Ashby singled to bring home two runs, to put the Scots up 7-6.

Beloit scored three in the sixth but the Scots stayed hot in the bottom of the inning. Powers led off with a single and Mackenzie Gerard (Jacksonville, Illinois) doubled. Hepner's groundout made it 9-8 and Millhollin tied the game with a single. Waymire singled for the lead and Lewis put the Scots on top 11-9 with a sacrifice fly before Beloit got out of the inning.

The Bucs didn't go quietly and a pair of 2-out singles plated three runs for a 12-11 lead. Powers singled with one out in the seventh and Gerard singled. Hepner's single loaded the bases and Beloit changed pitchers. Millhollin greeted the new reliever with a walk-off, 2-run double to left-center for the 13-12 win.

Hefflefinger (2-6) got the win in relief. She allowed six earned runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings while striking out two. Overcash allowed five runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings while striking out two.

GAME TWO

Elizabeth Durfee (Arlington, Washington) struck out two Beloit batters in the top of the first and the Scots took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Ashby walked and with two outs, Hepner launched her first career home run for a 2-0 lead.

Leading 2-1, Monmouth added on in the third. Alexis Hardy (Rushville, Illinois) walked and Hepner reached on an error with one out. Hardy scored on an error and Guenther singled home Hepner for a 4-1 lead.

Durfee racked up strikeouts in every inning but one and the Scots led 4-2 in the fifth. Hepner led off with a double and Meaghan Carpenter (Hanna City, Illinois) pinch ran, advancing to third on a grounder. Millhollin put the Scots up 6-2 with a single, her seventh RBI of the day.

In the sixth, Ashby doubled and scored on an error for a 7-2 lead. Durfee slammed the door on Beloit as she struck the side in the top of the seventh to preserve the sweep.

Durfee (4-3) struck out a career-high 11 as she allowed one earned run in a complete game effort. She scattered five hits and walked one.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The Scots have won five of six, surpassing last year's win total (6) and matching the 2024 total of 8 ... Millhollin's six RBI in game one are tied for the third most in a game in Monmouth history ... The last time a player drove in six was Charlotte Park against Grinnell on March 17, 2016 ... Ahsby and Millhollin both have 7-game hit streaks ... Ashby Hepner, Gerard and Millhollin had hits in both games ... Millhollin had five hits and seven RBI on the day ... Ashby scored two runs in both games ... Hepner and Millhollin had RBI in both games ... The Scots drew five walks in game one and four in game two ... Ashby had three hits in game one, her 11th multi-hit game of the season ... Ashby has six multi-RBI games after driving in three in game two ... Millhollin had a career-high six RBI in game one ... The Scots had seven doubles and two homers on the day ... Durfee has 11 career complete games ... Her 11 strikeouts are a career high and tied for 10th in a game in Monmouth history ... The last time a Monmouth pitcher struck out at least 11 was when Abby Leber set the single-game record with 16 in extra innings against Knox on April 29, 2022 ... The Scots lead the all-time series 28-15 against Beloit ... The Scots play at Knox on Tuesday with a 3 p.m. double header ... The next home game is April 25 against Grinnell.