Vikings cut down Colby

CLERMONT, Fla. — The Lawrence University softball team scored all of its runs in the first three innings and rolled to a 7-1 nonconference victory over Colby College on Tuesday.

Shannon Murray went the distance and scattered six hits for Lawrence (3-5). Murray struck out six and didn’t walk a batter. Lawrence picked up seven hits from seven different hitters.

The Vikings jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when freshman Kara Vance smacked a two-out, two-run double.

Murray nearly picked up a grand slam in the bottom of the second. With the bases loaded, Murray’s fly ball hit the top of the fence and caromed back into play, but all three runners scored to give Lawrence a 5-0 lead.

Colby trimmed the lead to 5-1 with a run in the top of the third, but the Vikings scored twice in the bottom half of the inning. The Vikings put two runners aboard with a walk and an error, and Cathy Kaye then singled to drive in both runners and put Lawrence up 7-1.