Softball Drops Pair at Simpson on Tuesday

Kloess, Riddley homer in game two loss

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (05/03/2023) — The Monmouth College softball team played a rescheduled double header at Simpson College on Tuesday, losing 4-3 and 16-8. The Scots (13-25) lost game one on a walk-off single and the Storm used a big sixth inning to get the run-rule win in the nightcap.

In the opener, Monmouth trailed 1-0 into the fifth inning. Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) led off with a walk and with one out, Biancha Luna (Monmouth, Illinois) doubled. Calista Warmowski (Spring Grove, Illinois) tied the game with a RBI single and Madelyn Belville (Rushville, Illinois) put the Scots up 2-1 with a single. After a pitching change, a Simpson error plated Warmowski for a 3-1 Monmouth lead.

Abby Leber (Tremont, Illinois) retired 16 Storm batters in a row until an infield single started the bottom of the seventh. The Storm got another single, then a walk loaded the bases. A second walk cut the Monmouth lead to 3-2 and Addison Steward (Danvers, Illinois) took over for Leber. A third straight walk tied the game and Simpson won the game 4-3 on a single to left.

Leber (6-11) took the loss as she allowed four runs on six hits and three walks over six innings. She struck out four and Steward allowed a walk and single to the two batters she faced.

GAME TWO

Down 1-0 the Scots got the bats going in the fourth. MyKenzie Kloess (Dupo, Illinois) reached on an error and with two down, scored on a single by Luna. Olivia Riddley (Chatham, Illinois) homered for a 3-1 Scots lead.

The Scots added on in the fifth with a two-out rally. Abby Winstead (Morton, Illinois) singled and Kloess hit her first home run of the season for a 5-1 lead.

Simpson hit two homers in the bottom of the inning, one off Lizzie Durfee (Arlington, Washington) and one off Kayleigh Cobb (Pawnee, Illinois). With the game tied, the Storm took the lead with a hit batter and a single. Anna McCarty (Decatur, Illinois) moved into the circle and and walk and two singles pushed Simpson's lead to 8-5. Steward took over from there and a single gave the Storm an 8-run inning and a 9-5 lead.

Monmouth rallied in the sixth. Warmowski singled, Belville walked and Winstead's single cut the SC lead to 9-6. A fielder's choice brought home another run and Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois) singled to make it 9-8. But the Scots couldn't pull even and the Storm finished the game with a 7-run bottom of the 6th inning.

Durfee allowed four runs on seven hits over four innings in a no-decision. She struck out six and walked two. Cobb (0-2) took the loss with two runs allowed on two hits.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Leber is the ninth pitcher in school history to throw at least 300 career innings. She has 99 strikeouts on the season. Warmowski, Belville, Lewis and Luna had hits in both games. Warmowski had five hits on the day and Luna had four. Warmowski, Belville and Luna also scored in both games. Riddley is second on the team with two homers and 10 RBI on the season. The Scots finish the season with a MWC double header at home Sunday against Lake Forest. The DH starts at 1 p.m. and there will be a Senior Day celebration.