EAST PEORIA, Ill. — The Lawrence University softball team dropped a 6-4 decision to Cornell College on Friday at the Midwest Conference Classic.
Rebekah Ozga hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Rams (9-7, 2-3 MWC).
Lawrence (11-7, 1-1) had grabbed a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth when the game went to the international tiebreaker rule. Alex Chiodo delivered a two-out double to score Kara Vance and the Vikings had the lead.
Britt Schoon’s run-scoring single in the bottom half of the inning tied it for Cornell, and Ozga hit a two-out, two-run homer to end it.
Lawrence trailed 1-0 heading to the top of the fifth when the Vikings scored three times. Cory Paquette started the rally with a single, and Cathy Kaye then greeted relief pitcher Jackie Sernek with a two-run homer to put the Vikings up 2-1. Tierney Duffy followed with a single, stole second and scored on Shannon Murray’s single for a 3-1 edge.
Lawrence held that lead until Schoon hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to force the extra frames.
Murray went the distance and took the loss for Lawrence. She also went 3-for-5 and drove in a run for the Vikings. Chiodo, Paquette and Taylor Dodson all collected two hits for Larwence.
Sernek went 4.2 innings and picked up the win in relief.
Lawrence returns to action at the MWC Classic on Saturday when it faces Grinnell College and Lake Forest College.