Softball Swept at Augustana

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (04/10/2024) — The Monmouth College softball team returned to action for the first time in 11 days with a Tuesday doubleheader at Augustana. The Scots dropped the first game 8-3 and the second game 5-1.

Alyssa Hefflefinger (Olin, Iowa) started in the circle for the Scots in game one. Augustana plated three runs in each of the first two innings to lead 6-0.

In the top of the third, Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois) led off with a walk and Alexis Hardy (Rushville, Illinois) walked. Karliegh Ashby (Monmouth, Illinois) reached on an error to load the bases and Hucke scored on a wild pitch. Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) collected Monmouth's first hit of the game with an RBI single as Hardy scored. Grace Wyman (Pekin, Illinois) drove in Ashby with a sacrifice fly as the Scots cut the deficit to 6-3.

The Vikings plated two runs against Kayleigh Cobb (Pawnee, Illinois) in the fifth inning. Hucke singled in the seventh and Lewis singled with two outs. Wyman singled to load the bases but a strikeout ended the game.

GAME TWO

Game two was scoreless into the bottom of the third. The Vikings scored a two-out run against starter McKealey Klokkenga (Delavan, Illinois) before Hefflefinger took over and escaped the inning.

The Scots tied the game with an unearned run in the fifth. With two down, Jordan Lantz (Alexis, Illinois) singled to right and Hefflefinger singled to center. Marie Vega (Chicago, Illinois) reached on an error as Lantz scored to tie the game.

Augustana regained the lead in the bottom of the inning and added three more in the sixth to lead 5-1. Savannah Powers (Volo, Illinois) singled to start the seventh and Lantz singled to center. After a groundout, back-to-back strikeouts ended the game as the Vikings won 5-1.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Powers had hits in both gamesLewis had her team-leading 12th RBI...Wyman, Lewis, Powers, Hucke and Lantz have started all 22 games this season...The teams split a DH last year in MonmouthAugustana leads the all-time series 58-22Monmouth next plays on Thursday at Eureka with a 2 p.m. doubleheaderThe next home game is at 1 p.m. DH on April 13 against Ripon.