Softball Spltis DH on Final Day of Season

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (05/06/2024) — The Monmouth College softball team finished the 2024 season with a doubleheader split at Beloit on Sunday.. The Scots (8-31, 6-10) lost game one 10-0 before winning the nightcap 7-0.

In game one, Beloit scored a run in the first inning and six more in the third with all seven runs unearned against starter Addison Steward (Danvers, Illinois). McKealey Klokkenga (Delavan, Illinois).got the final out of the third inning after a double made it 7-0.

The Bucs scored three more in the fourth for the 10-0 run-rule victory. Monmouth finished the game with four hits, one each from Grace Goodrich (Lake Villa, Illinois), Savannah Powers (Volo, Illinois), Jordan Lantz (Alexis, Illinois) and Marie Vega (Chicago, Illinois).

GAME TWO

The Scots got going in the second inning of game two. Lantz set the career record by being hit by a pitch for the 18th time. She moved to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Vega. Senior Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois) singled home Vega for a 2-0 lead.

In the third, Grace Wyman (Pekin, Illinois) led off with a double and she scored on a double by Powers for a 3-0 Monmouth lead. Alyssa Hefflefinger (Olin, Iowa) kept Beloit off the board and Monmouth added to the lead in the fifth. Goodrich and Powers picked up singles while Lantz was hit by another pitch. Vega singled home a run before a wild pitch and error gave the Scots a 6-0 lead. Karliegh Ashby singled to put two on base and Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) put the Scots up 7-0 with a single.

Hefflefinger struck out eight over 6 2/3 shutout innings as she picked up the win and allowed four hits. As a senior, Steward came in to get the final out of the season.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Lantz was hit by a pitch three times on Sunday She ranks second among all NCAA Division III players with 20 hit by pitches which is both a season and career record for Monmouth Goodrich, Powers and Vega had hits in both games Vega had a career-high two hits in game two and her first career RBI Hefflefinger struck out a career-high eight batters in game two Ashby led the team on the season with 23 runs scored and four triples while Wyman led the team with 41 hits and three homers Lewis led the team with 10 doubles and 27 RBI Monmouth leads the all-time series 25-13 and they have won four of the last five.