MOUNT VERNON, Iowa - Three weeks. That is how long it has been since the University of Dubuque softball team played in a game with the last time coming in sunny, warm Florida. This go around it wasn't so warm as field conditions and weather moved the home games against Cornell College to their field. Both games would come down to the late innings as the Spartans were able to take game one 6-5 and then fall in extra innings 2-3 to split the road trip.
Game 1
In the top of the first inning, you would have never guessed the Spartans had three weeks off as they scored four runs on five hits and two Cornell errors to take the early 4-0 lead. Cornell would add a run in the bottom of the inning for their first run of the game and would add to their run total in the bottom of the third inning with three runs to even the score up with the Spartans 4-4. Late in the game the Spartans trailed 4-5 and would score in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by
Megan Croke to score
Megan Leick. One inning later,
Cayla Cavanagh would hit a double to left field to score
Grace Lagerhausen to take the lead late and hold on for the final three outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win game one.
Cavanagh went 3-4 with two RBI's and one run scored.
Kaitlyn Powell went 2-4 and
Megan Leick went 2-3 at the plate.
Paige Manning (4-3) picked up her fourth win on the season pitching 3.0 innings allowing nine hits and five earned runs.
Ally Gullette pitched the final 4.0 innings to finish out the game.
Game 2
Runs would be limited in the second game of the doubleheader as a total of five runs was all that would be scored in the nine inning battle. Just like game one, the Spartans would score first in the top of the first inning as Leick grounded out to shortstop scoring Powell to lead 1-0. The Spartans would then double their lead in the fourth inning off a
Madyson Dwight single to second scoring
Bella Allison from second base.
Jaelyn Blakemore got the start in the second game shutting out Cornell through the first six innings of the game. With Cornell down to their final three outs in the bottom of the seventh they would get four hits to even the score at 2-2 to force the game to extra innings. The eighth inning would be clean with neither team being able to score, but the Spartans ran into some trouble in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded. Blakemore would then clip the batter at the plate to bring in the game winning run for Cornell to take game two 2-3.
Both
Chloe Hild and Allison led the Spartans going 2-4 at the plate. The Spartans got nine hits in 37 at bats and left nine runners on base. Blakemore (0-4) earned the loss and finished allowing 10 hits and three earned runs. She struck out four and allowed two walks.
The Spartans are now 6-10 on the season.
Up Next
The Spartans will now face UW-Platteville on Thursday, March 30 at 5:00 & 7:00 p.m. at the UW-Platteville Softball Complex in Platteville, Wis.
