Softball Drops Home Opener Double Header on Sunday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (03/20/2022) — The Monmouth College softball team had their home opener on Sunday, falling to the University of Dubuque 11-2 and 6-0 in a double header. The Fighting Scots had their scheduled double header against Fontbonne on Saturday canceled due to weather and added the DH against Dubuque in its place.

The Spartans scored twice in the top of the first against Monmouth starting pitcher Abby Leber (Tremont, Illinois). A two-out walk and stolen base set up a RBI double and RBI single for the 2-0 Dubuque lead.

A leadoff homer in the third put the visitors on top 3-0. They added two more in the fourth with a walk, error and a two-run triple.

The Scots got on the board in the fourth. MyKenzie Kloess (Dupo, Illinois) walked and moved to second on a one-out single by Leber. Olivia Riddley (Chatham, Illinois) singled to load the bases and Kloess scored on a groundout by Makaylea Sepich (Mackinaw, Illinois). Leber scored on a wild pitch as the Scots cut the Spartans lead to 5-2.

After a pair of singles in the top of the fifth, Rebecca Merletti (Kenosha, Wisconsin) took over for Leber in the circle. A double gave Dubuque a 6-2 lead and an error plated another run. Dubuque added two more runs on a groundout and a single as they pushed the lead to 9-2.

Dubuque loaded the bases in the sixth on a single, walk and hit batter. Another single gave them a 10-2 lead and a wild pitch made it 11-2. The Scots didn't score in the bottom of the inning, handing the Spartans a run-rule win.

In game one the Scots had five hits from five different players. Jessica Pauley (Moline, Illinois) had a double while the other four hits were singles. Leber (1-4) took the loss for Monmouth.

Dubuque scored twice in the top of the first of game two against Scots starter Jenna Pauley (Moline, Illinois). The first two batters singled and advanced on a wild pitch before a double made it 2-0.

Monmouth put the first two on base in the bottom of the inning but stranded runners at first and third. The Scots loaded the bases in the second on two walks and a single but couldn't get a run home.

The Spartans added on in the fourth inning. A leadoff single and a two-out error put two runners on base. Dubuque took a 3-0 lead on a single to center but got out of the inning on the play with a Spartans runner tagged out at third base.

Monmouth again left the bases loaded in the fourth and the Spartans added on in the fifth. A hit batter and wild pitch put a runner in scoring position and a double gave the Spartans a 5-0 lead. An error and a sacrifice fly added another run before the Scots got out of the inning.

Dubuque scored again in the sixth inning with a single, stolen base and a two-out single. Anna McCarty (Buffalo, Illinois) took over in the circle for the seventh inning and allowed two hits in a shutout frame. The Scots got a leadoff single in the seventh from Calista Warmowski (Spring Grove, Illinois) but were unable to score.

The Scots are next in action on Thursday with a 4 p.m. double header at Illinois Wesleyan. The next home game is set for Sunday, March 27 with a 1 p.m. double header against Simpson College.