Scots Softball Finishes Season with Split

Leber tosses shutout in opener

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (05/12/2021) — The Monmouth College softball team finished the 2021 season with a double header split against Grinnell College on Tuesday. The Scots won game one 3-0 before dropping game two 9-1 in six innings. Monmouth finishes the season at 6-20, 5-11 in Midwest Conference games.

Game one was scoreless into the bottom of the fourth. Jessica Pauley (Moline, Illinois) singled with one out and Alex Chamberlin (Canton, Illinois) pinch ran. Abby Leber (Tremont, Illinois) singled to put two runners on base. Senior Alison Trettin (Manito, Illinois) doubled to the wall in left to score Chamberlin for the 1-0 Scots lead.

Leber allowed her first hit of the game in the fifth and stranded two Pioneers runners. She retired Grinnell in order in the sixth and the Scots added to their lead.

With two down, senior Brittney Enos (Fisher, Illinois) singled and she advanced to second on an error as Trettin reached. Senior Megan Corniels (Yorkville, Illinois) reached on an error as Enos scored for a 2-0 lead. Trettin scored on an errant pickoff throw as Monmouth extended the lead to 3-0.

Leber shut down the Pioneers in order in the seventh for her third shutout and ninth complete game of the season. She struck out eight and allowed two singles while improving to 6-8 on the season.

Both teams scored in the first inning of game two. The Pioneers grabbed one off senior starter Hailey Rennick (Washington, Illinois) in the top of the frame. Calista Warmowski (Spring Grove, Illinois) led off with a single for the Scots. Warmowski moved to second on a sac bunt from Kassidy Johnson (Petersburg, Illinois) and took third on a wild pitch. Pauley tied the game with her 21st RBI of the season on a grounder to third.

The rest of the game belonged to Grinnell as they scored in five of the six frames. Leading 4-1 the visitors scored five in the top of the sixth to run-rule the Scots 9-1.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Leber finished the season with 61 strikeouts, 18th most in a Scots single seasonPauley's game one double moved her into 12th on the Scots career listShe is also 17th on the Scots career RBI list with 45Pauley led the Scots with a .377 average and 29 hitsShe and Warmowski both had six doublesWarmowski led the team with 18 runs scoredJohnson singled in the sixth of game two for her first hit of the season in just her second startThese games were postponed by rain on SundayMonmouth went 2-2 against the Pioneers this season.