Scots Use Big Innings to Sweep Eureka Friday

Lewis hits grand slam in opener

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/16/2022) — The Monmouth College softball team swept their final non-conference double header of the season with 8-5 and 12-10 home wins over Eureka College on Friday. The Scots rallied from behind to win both games while also using the event to raise money and awareness to 'Strikeout Cancer.'

Neither team scored in game one until the Red Devils broke through in the third against Abby Leber (Tremont, Illinois). The Scots took the lead in the bottom of the inning. MyKenzie Kloess (Dupo, Illinois) doubled with two outs and stole third as Allie Ramlo (Tremont, Illinois) walked. Ramlo stole second and Kloess scored on an error before Biancha Luna (Monmouth, Illinois) gave the Scots a 2-1 lead with a single.

Monmouth added on in the fourth. Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois) singled with one out and Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) reached on an error. After a double steal and a pop out, Madelyn Belville (Rushville, Illinois) gave the Scots a 3-1 lead with a single.

Eureka took the lead in the fifth as they plated three runs against Leber. The inning included a walk, single, error, double and three stolen bases as the Red Devils went on top 4-3.

In the bottom of the inning the Scots took the lead for good. Ramlo singled and with one out, Alex Chamberlin (Canton, Illinois) singled. Addison Riley (Illinois City, Illinois) reached on an error as Ramlo scored to tie the game. Hucke walked to load the bases and Lewis unloaded them with a grand slam, her first collegiate home run.

With an 8-4 lead, Leber gave up a leadoff double in the sixth and was replaced by Addison Stewart (Danvers, Illinois). Eureka eventually scored on a bunt to cut the Monmouth lead to 8-5. They brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh as well but Stewart preserved the win. The save is the first for Steward and Leber is now 4-8 with the win.

Eureka took a 5-0 lead in game two against starting pitcher Anna McCarty (Buffalo, Illinois). The big blast was a 2-run homer in the second inning.

Monmouth used a big inning to tie the game in the second. Ramlo walked, Luna doubled and Riley singled home a run. With the bases loaded, Lewis walked to make it 5-2 and Calista Warmowski (Spring Grove, Illinois) doubled home one but Chamberlin was tagged out at the plate. Following a walk, Kloess doubled to right-center, scoring two and tying the game 5-5.

Eureka regained the lead against Stewart in the third, going on top 7-5. Lewis singled home Riley in the bottom of the inning to get the Scots to within one. Monmouth took the lead in the fourth. Belville walked, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Kloess walked and took off for second with Belville scoring to tie the game. Two batters later, Riley singled home Kloess for an 8-7 Monmouth lead.

Eureka scored three in the fifth for a 10-8 lead and Jenna Pauley (Moline, Illinois) took over in the circle. She kept the Red Devils off the board in the sixth and the offense took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Riley walked with one out and a pair of fielder's choices loaded the bases. Lewis walked to force in a run and a sacrifice fly from Warmowski tied the game 10-10. Belville doubled to plate two more and give the Scots a 12-10 lead. Pauley finished off the Red Devils in the seventh to earn her second win of the season.

Monmouth will play six conference games next week, all on the road. They head to Illinois College on Tuesday before double headers at Beloit and Lake Forest next weekend.

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The two teams came together pregame to honor cancer survivors and victims. Monmouth wore pink in both games and Eureka wore blue raising awareness for breast cancer and prostate cancer respectively.