Scots Softball Drops Two Close Games to IC on Tuesday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/26/2023) — The Monmouth College softball team dropped both games of a double header against first-place Illinois College on Tuesday. The Scots (12-20, 4-6) fell 3-0 and 4-1 to the Lady Blues (21-10, 14-0)

The first game was scoreless until IC scored in the third against Lizzie Durfee (Arlington, Washington). The Scots picked up singles from Madelyn Belville (Rushville, Illinois) and Vanessa Wright (Villa Grove, Illinois) to start the fourth. But they left runners on second and third with a bunt groundout and a line out.

The Lady Blues added on with another two-out run in the sixth and made it 3-0 with a double in the seventh. Durfee (3-9) took the loss despite a complete game effort. She gave up two earned runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out four.

GAME TWO

Both teams left runners in scoring position early in game two. Monmouth fell behind 1-0 on consecutive doubles in the fourth inning against Abby Leber (Tremont, Illinois). They added two more in the fifth with one scoring on an error.

Down 3-0 in the fifth, the Scots loaded the bases and scored. Durfee singled with two outs and moved to second on a single by MyKenzie Kloess (Dupo, Illinois). An error loaded the bases and Abby Winstead (Morton, Illinois) got the Scots on the board with a single to center. With the tying run on base, IC got out of the inning with a ground ball to third.

Monmouth left two on base in the sixth and IC added a run against reliever Anna McCarty (Decatur, Illinois) in the seventh. Kloess walked to start the seventh but only advanced to second base as IC got three straight outs.

Leber (6-8) took the loss as she allowed two earned runs on seven hits over six innings. She walked one and struck out six. McCarty allowed one run on three hits in one inning of work.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Leber moved a tie for 10th in career appearances with 52 and she is now tied for seventh with 48 career starts. Durfee has six complete games including four in her last five starts. Kloess had hits in both games. The Scots host Knox on Saturday with a 1 p.m. double header.