Softball Swept by Cornell Saturday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (05/04/2024) —
The Monmouth College softball team lost a pair of home games on Saturday to Cornell. The sweep eliminated the Scots (7-30, 5-9) from the MWC Tournament race as the Rams prevailed 13-4 and 11-3.

Monmouth jumped on top in the first inning against the Rams. With two outs, Grace Wyman (Pekin, Illinois) walked, Grace Goodrich (Lake Villa, Illinois) singled and Savannah Powers (Volo, Illinois) gave the Scots the lead with a double.. Jordan Lantz (Alexis, Illinois) was hit by a pitch and Alyssa Hefflefinger (Olin, Iowa) made it 3-0 with a single.

The Rams came right back with two runs against Hefflefinger in the second and they took the lead with a 3-run homer in the third. Down 6-3, the Scots got one run back in the fourth. Lantz doubled and with two outs, Alexis Hardy (Rushville, Illinois) delivered a RBI single.

Cornell plated seven runs in the sixth to win the game on the run-rule. Hefflefinger took the loss while allowing five runs over three innings. Addison Steward (Danvers, Illinois) allowed three runs in relief while all five scored against Kayleigh Cobb (Pawnee, Illinois) were unearned,

GAME TWO

Cornell jumped out to an early lead in game two with six runs against Cheslea Herrick (Elgin, Illinois) in the second inning. Three of those runs were unearned and the Rams added another run in the third against McKealy Klokkenga (Delavan, Illinois).

The Scots trailed 10-0 going into the bottom of the fifth when they got on the board to extend the game.Marie Vega (Chicago, Illinois) led off with a single and was out at second on a fielders' choice from Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois). Hardy reached on a bunt single and Karliegh Ashby (Monmouth, Illinois) singled to load the bases. Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) drove in all three runs with a double to center for a 10-3 Cornell lead.

The Rams went back up by eight in the sixth with a run against Steward. The Scots put two on the board but couldn't score in the bottom of the inning to trigger the run-rule win.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Lantz was hit by a pitch for the 17th time this season, tying the Monmouth career record Lewis had her team-leading 10th double of the season which is tied for 12th in a single-season in team history She has 18 career doubles, tied for 17th in school history Lewis also leads the Scots with 26 RBI, tied for 11th in a single season Ashby, Powers, Lantz and Hardy had hits in both games Powers had a double in both games Saturday was Senior Day for Hucke, Vega, Steward and Goodrich The Scots play a doubleheader at Beloit on Sunday at 1 p.m.