Vikings rally late to pull past Illinois College

EAST PEORIA, Ill. — The Lawrence University softball team rallied for five runs in its final two at-bats to rally for a 6-2 victory over Illinois College on Sunday at the Midwest Conference Classic.

The Vikings trailed 2-1 headed to the bottom of the fifth, but Lawrence (12-7, 3-2 MWC) scored twice in that frame and then added three more runs in the sixth to pull away.

Amanda Jaskolski went 4-for-4 with two doubles and drove in four runs to pace the Lawrence attack. Samantha Belletini, Tierney Duffy, Anna Wawiorka and Mary Diduch all had two hits for the Vikings, and Belletini drove in a pair of runs.

Kara Vance allowed 10 hits but only two runs as she went the distance to earn the win. Alese Speckhart went the distance for the Lady Blues (9-15, 4-6) and allowed 15 hits in six innings.

Duffy got the rally in the fifth started with a single and Wawiorka followed with a bunt single. Jaskolski followed with a double to score Duffy and tie the game at 2-2. Wawiorka then scored on Belletini’s sacrifice fly and Lawrence led 3-2.

The Vikings took command in the sixth with another rally. Diduch got things started with a single, and Duffy picked up a single one out later. After another out, Jaskolski belted a two-run double to give Lawrence a 5-2 edge. Belletini followed with another double to score Jaskolski and Lawrence led 6-2.

Vance then worked around a one-out single in the seventh to nail down the victory.

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