Big inning propels Vikings to blowout of Grinnell

EAST PEORIA, Ill. — The Lawrence University softball team scored seven times in the sixth inning to post an 8-0 conference victory over Grinnell College on Friday at the Midwest Conference Classic.

The Vikings (10-5, 1-0 MWC) led 1-0 heading to the bottom of the sixth but ended the game after the seven-run outburst. Jessica Demski fired a two-hitter to earn the shutout for Lawrence. She struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.

Samantha Belletini and Alex Chiodo both went 2-for-3 to pace the Lawrence offense, and Belletini drove in three runs.

Two Grinnell errors helped get the rally started, and Chiodo drove in a run to put the Vikings up 2-0. Belletini then stroked a two-run double for a 4-0 lead. Another error allowed Belletini to score, and Anna Wawiorka picked up a run-scoring double to give Lawrence a 6-0 edge.

The Vikings closed out the win when another Grinnell error allowed Alissa Geipel and Wawiorka to score for an 8-0 lead.

Lawrence started the scoring with a run in the bottom of the fourth on Bellitini’s RBI double.

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