CLERMONT, Fla. — The Lawrence University softball team downed Anna Maria College 8-2 Friday in the Vikings’ season opener.
The Vikings, who won their season opener for the third consecutive year, collected eight hits and had to rally from an early deficit.
Shannon Murray led Lawrence’s attack by going 3-for-4 with a double and a run batted in. Murray also pitched the first five innings to pick up the victory. She allowed only three hits, struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter.
Anna Maria scored a pair of unearned runs in the first, but Lawrence took the lead for good with three runs in the third. Alissa Geipel belted a run-scoring triple in the third, and Murray added a RBI double.
Lawrence made it 5-2 with a pair of runs in the fourth, highlighted by Mary Diduch’s run-scoring double. The Vikings then sealed the win with three more runs in the sixth.
Freshman Liz Barthels made her Lawrence pitching debut with a pair of scoreless innings.