Softball Drops Pair at Cornell

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/28/2025) — The Monmouth College softball team lost a pair of conference games at Cornell on Sunday, 5-1 and 9-6. The Fighting Scots (6-30, 2-12) conclude their Midwest Conference play at home on Sunday against Lake Forest.

Monmouth starter Lizzie Durfee (Arlington, Washington) did not allow a run over five innings of work. She held the Rams to just four hits and kept the game scoreless through five.

Alexis Hardy (Rushville, Illinois) singled with one out in the sixth and Karliegh Ashby moved her to second with a single. Brooklyn Manners (Burleson, Texas) walked to load the bases and
Savannah Powers (Volo, Illinois) put the Scots on top 1-0 with a single to right center. The Rams got a double play to end the inning with Ashby out at the plate after a flyout.

Addie Greene (Rushville, Illinois) took over in the circle in the bottom of the sixth. The Rams tied the game on a single, walk, wild pitch and groundout. They took the lead on a 2-run double and added two more runs to lead 5-1.

Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) walked with one out in the seventh and Brooklyn Millhollin (Peoria, Illinois) singled. But the next two batters flew out and the Rams took the opener 5-1 as Greene (1-6) took the loss.

GAME TWO

Cornell scored a run in the first inning against Monmouth starter Alyssa Hefflefinger (Olin, Iowa). The Scots answered in the second as Millhollin walked and with two outs, Riley King (Peoria, Illinois) drew a walk. Hardy reached on a fielders; choice and Monmouth tied the game on an error. Grace Wyman (Pekin, Illinois) put the Scots on top 2-1 with a single but the bases were left loaded.

MacKenzie Gerard (Jacksonville, Illinois) started the third with a single and with one out, Lewis doubled. With two down, King singled for a 3-1 lead and Hardy doubled home two more to put the Scots on top 5-1.

Cornell responded immediately and tied the game in the bottom of the inning with five hits. They also benefited from an error and tied the game on a sacrifice fly with two of the runs unearned.

The Rams plated three more in the fifth with three hits and two Monmouth errors. They left one on base but led 8-5 going into the sixth.

Powers reached on an error in the sixth and scored on a double by Millhollin. Lewis walked with one out but the Scots left the tying runs on base.

Cornell pushed the lead to 9-6 with two doubles in the sixth. Monmouth went in order in the seventh and Hefflefinger (3-9) took the loss with a complete game as she allowed seven earned runs on 12 hits while striking out two.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Millhollin, Wyman and Hardy had hits in both games and both had three hits on the day ... Wyman has a 6-game hit streak ... Lewis walked in both games and is now tied for eighth on the career walks list with 39 ... She also picked up her 22nd career double, 13th on the career list and one out of the top 10 ... Lewis moved past Kirstyn Ozga ('17) into fifth on the games played list with 138 ... Durfee has gone 11 innings without allowing a run ...She has gone at least five innings in three of her last four startsHefflefinger leads the Scots with six complete games on the season ... She has gone at least five innings in four straight starts since returning from injury ... Cornell has won six in a row in the series and they are 12-3 against Monmouth in the last 15 ... Overall the Scots lead the all-time series 42-40 ... Monmouth hosts Lake Forest in a doubleheader at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.