CLERMONT, Fla. — The Lawrence University softball team broke a tie with a run in the bottom of the sixth and escaped a jam in the top of the seventh Tuesday to earn a 6-5 nonconference win over Benedictine (Ill.) University.
A pair of rookies led the way for the Vikings as Amanda Karnatz and Lexi Angemi both went 3-for-4. Karnatz doubled, scored a pair of runs, including the game-winner, and drove in a run. Angemi drove in the game-winning run and scored another.
Rookie Emilia Jackson tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win for Lawrence (4-4). Emily Chitwood gave up 11 hits and six runs and took the loss for Benedictine (4-4).
The Eagles had just scored a run in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 5-5 but Karnatz led off the bottom half of the inning with a single. Karnatz stole second and went to third on a ground out. Angemi followed with a single up the middle to score Karnatz and put the Vikings up 6-5.
Jackson got the first out in the top of the seventh, but a single and error put runners at first and second. After a passed ball moved both runners into scoring position, Jackson got tough. She struck out Chitwood looking and got Kassee Johnson on a comebacker to end the game.
Benedictine jumped on top with two runs in the top of the first, but the Vikings quickly tied it in the bottom half of the inning. Rheya Upadhyaya and Angemi collected singles, and Upadhyaya scored on Sam Belletini’s sacrifice fly. Madeline MacLean followed with a single to score Angemi and tie the game at 2-2.
Lawrence grabbed a 5-2 lead with three runs in the second. Sofie Pedersen got the inning started with a single and came around to score on Karnatz’s single. Upadhyaya then squeezed home Marisa Thackston, who had reached on a fielder’s choice where both runners were safe. Another error allowed Karnatz to score, and the Vikings were up by three.
Benedictine closed the lead to 5-4 with two runs in the third before tying it in the sixth.