Softball Splits Two Games on Monday in Florida

Monmouth beats Otterbein as Leber climbs record books

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (03/07/2023) — The Monmouth College softball team started their Florida trip on Monday with two games, beating Otterbein University 3-1 and falling to Gordon College 4-1.

In the opener against Otterbein, the Scots scored in the top of the first. Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois) singled and was forced out at second with MyKenzie Kloess (Dupo, Illinois) running at first. Vanessa Wright (Villa Grove, Illinois) singled to left and Madelyn Belville (Rushville, Illinois) singled to left as Kloess scored.

In the second inning, Olivia Riddley (Chatham, Illinois) led off with a walk and Kayleigh Cobb (Pawnee, Illinois) doubled to the wall in left. Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) walked to load the bases and the Cardinals changed pitchers. With one out, Hucke drew a walk and Cobb scored for a 2-0 Monmouth lead. Kloess drew a walk to force home Lewis and the Scots led 3-0 before Otterbein got out of the inning.

Abby Leber (Tremont, Illinois) pitched around a pair of singles in the bottom of the first. She didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the sixth and the Cardinals picked up two singles. A ground ball to Addison Riley (Illinois City, Illinois) ended the inning with a fielder's choice at third base.

With two outs in the seventh, Otterbein had a double and a walk to bring the tying run to the plate again. A single scored a run and Anna McCarty (Decatur, Illinois) took over in the circle for Leber. A wild pitch moved both runners up a base and a walk loaded the bases. A flyout to left ended the game with Leber (1-1) getting the win and McCarty earning the save.

Leber passed Mary Day ('85) for fifth on the career strikeout list with her second strikeout of the game. She finished with five strikeouts and has 196 in her career. She is now tied for 10th on the Scots career list with 35 starts and she is 15th on the career appearances list with 39.

Monmouth immediately switched fields to face Gordon College. Monmouth loaded the bases in the bottom of the first as Calista Warmowski (Spring Grove, Illinois) singled, Hucke walked and Kloess singled. Warmowski scored the first run of the game as Cobb grounded into a fielder's choice to third base.

Elizabeth Durfee (Arlington, Washington) got the start for the Scots and Gordon threatened in the fourth. After a leadoff walk. Gordon picked up a single but Monmouth got the batter in a run down and eventually Lewis threw out the lead runner at the plate. Gordon loaded the bases with one out but Monmouth escaped the inning as Warmowski threw out a runner at the plate for an 8-2 double play.

Durfee gave up a leadoff single in the sixth and handed the ball to Addison Steward (Danvers, Illinois) and Gordon picked up another single. A throwing error allowed the tying run to score and gave Gordon runners on second and third with no outs. They took the lead on a single before Monmouth got out of the inning on a double play. Gordon added a run in the seventh with a hit and an error and then made it 4-1 with another single.

Down 4-1, Warmowski doubled in the bottom of the seventh with one out. But Gordon closed out the game with a pair of outs.

The Scots are back in action on Tuesday with a pair of games at the Auburndale Sports Complex. Monmouth plays Geneva College (Pa.) at 9 a.m. ET and Simmons University at 2 p.m. ET.