PELLA, Iowa - The University of Dubuque softball team needed a weekend sweep to make the 2025 American Rivers Conference Tournament, unfortunately the Spartans fell a game short after splitting the Sunday doubleheader. In the opener the Spartans and Dutch were tied 5-5 until the host Dutch won in the bottom of the seventh inning on a three run homerun 8-5. UD held the Dutch to just two hits in a 14-0 dominating victory in five innings in game two.
The Spartans out hit the Dutch in both games. UD scored five runs off 12 hits and committed three errors while the Dutch scored eight runs off eight hits in the opener. The Spartans left nine runners on base in the loss. Four Spartans finished with two hits:
Bella Allison (2-4),
Lauren Jacobs (2-4 with a double, a triple, an RBI, and two runs scored),
Amber Wisely (2-4 with two RBI's), and
Zoe Connell (2-3 with a run scored).
Ally Gullette tossed 6.1 innings allowed five earned runs, struck out two after facing 31 batters.
In the final game, UD scored in 4-5 innings and ended the day in the fifth inning and 13 earned runs. The Spartans scored two runs in the first, six runs in the second, four runs in the third, and added two more runs in the fifth ending the game 14-0. Starting pitcher
Ciaran Rigby held the Dutch to just two hits, two strikeouts after facing 20 batters.
The hitting fest included
Megan Leick who went 3-3 with three runs scored and three RBI's (a double, and a triple), not to be out done
Katie Hayes went 3-3, had a double, scored twice and finished with three RBI's.
Audrey Morris hit 2-3 and compiled three RBI's.
Haleigh Banowetz finished with a double and
Lauren Jacobs grabbed a triple in the blowout.
The 2025 A-R-C tournament is on May 9-10 at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.
Friday, May 9
Game 1 - No. 4 Loras College (H) vs. No. 5 Central College (A) @ 5:30 p.m.
Game 2 - No. 3 Nebraska Wesleyan University (H) vs. No. 6 Luther College (A) @ 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 10
Game 3 - Winner Game 1 vs. No. 1 Simpson College (H) @ 1:00 p.m.
Game 4 - Winner Game 2 vs. No. 2 Wartburg College (H) @ 3:30 p.m.
Game 5 - Championship Game @ 6:00 p.m.