Softball Drops Two Games on Opening Day

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (02/25/2024) — The Monmouth College softball team opened their 2024 season with two neutral site games on Saturday. In the opener, the Scots fell 6-2 to #21 Central and in the nightcap, they lost 9-8 to University of the Ozarks. No other information or player statistics were provided for the second game.

Lizzie Durfee (Arlington, Washington) started against Central and allowed an unearned run in the first inning. The Dutch added two more in the second and led 3-0 after four innings. They loaded the bases in the fifth and Kayleigh Cobb (Pawnee, Illinois) took over on the mound. Central pushed the lead to 5-0 before the Scots got out of the inning with the bases loaded.

The Scots got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois) led off with a double and Jordan Lantz (Alexis, Illinois) walked. With the bases loaded, Savannah Powers (Volo, Illinois) drove home Hucke with a sacrifice fly.

The Scots went into the bottom of the seventh down 6-1. Lantz was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Karliegh Ashby (Monmouth, Illinois) ran at first base. With one out, Powers singled and Ashby moved to third. Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) drove in Ashby with a ground out to third and Powers was tagged out at third base to end the game.

Durfee (0-1) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on six hit over 4 innings. She struck out one and walked three.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Six Scots made their debuts against Central. Powers had two hits in the opening game. Powers threw out two Dutch players attempting to steal second and the Scots caught another trying to steal home. Lewis had a double against Central. Powers and Lewis both had RBI while Hucke and Ashby both scored. The Scots play two more games in the Fontbonne Tournament in Edwardsville, Illinois on Sunday. Monmouth faces host Fontbonne at 11 am and the University of Chicago at 1 pm.