Softball

The University of Chicago pounded out 35 hits in Friday’s nonconference doubleheader and rolled to a sweep of Lawrence University at Whiting Field.

The Maroons (15-5) won the opener 11-1 in six innings and took the nightcap 14-3 in five innings.

In the opener, Julia Schneider, Liz Payonk and Raechel Cloud all went 3-for-4 for Chicago, which picked up 16 hits. Payonk drove in four runs for the Maroons.

Chicago led 3-1 after three innings, but scored three times in the fourth and sealed the win with five runs in the sixth. Sara Neuhaus went four innings and picked up the win.

Liz Barthels went the distance and took the loss for Lawrence (5-11). The Vikings’ offense, which was limited to five hits, was led by Kara Vance, who went 2-for-3.

In the nightcap, the Maroons jumped on Lawrence starter Shannon Murray and raced out to a 6-0 lead after three innings and added five runs in the fourth to pull away.

Tabbetha Bohac went 3-for-3 and drove in four runs for the Maroons, who had 19 hits. Kaitlyn Carpenter went 3-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs for Chicago. Emily Ashbridge pitched the final three innings to pick up the win.

Murray went the distance and took the loss. Lawrence was limited to four hits, but one of them was Murray’s solo homer in the fourth, her first round-tripper of the season.

Game one box score

Game two box score

CLERMONT, Fla. — The UW-Whitewater softball team scored eight times in the fifth inning to rally for an 11-6 nonconference victory over Lawrence University on Friday.

Lawrence (3-8) led 4-1 before the Warhawks rallied in the fifth. Bekka Houda picked up the win in relief for Whitewater, and Liz Barthels started and took the loss for the Vikings.

Six different players collected one hit apiece for Lawrence. Amanda Mertes went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in to pace Whitewater.

Lawrence went up 2-0 in the first when Shannon Murray picked up a run-scoring single, and Kara Vance added a sacrifice fly to drive in another run. The Vikings made it 4-0 in the top of the third with just one hit but got help from two Whitewater errors. Lawrence scored the first run of the frame on a misplayed sacrifice bunt, and Vance drove in the other with a ground out.

Whitewater cut the lead to 4-1 in the bottom half of the inning, and the Warhawks then pulled away in the fifth. Whitewater scored eight runs on 10 hits in the inning to go up 9-4.

The Warhawks went up 11-4 with two runs in the sixth, but the Vikings added a pair of runs in the seventh. Barthels drove in one-run with a bases-loaded walk, and the other run scored on a Whitewater error.

CLERMONT, Fla. — Plymouth State University scored five times in the top of the ninth and held on for an 11-8 nonconference victory over Lawrence University on Thursday.

Lawrence (3-7) rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth and had the tying run at the plate before the Panthers got the final out.

The teams were tied 5-5 after seven innings, and Plymouth State got a run in the top of the eighth. Lawrence tied the game when Kara Vance singled to score Alissa Geipel in the bottom half of the inning.

The Panthers then struck for five runs in the ninth, but Lawrence rallied again. Mary Diduch tripled to score Vance and cut the lead to 11-7. After a ground out, Cory Paquette singled to score Diduch and trim the margin to 11-8. After a pop up, Alex Chiodo walked to put the tying run at the plate, but Geipel struck out to end the game.

Vance, Diduch and Cathy Kaye all went 2-for-4 for the Vikings. Kaye belted a homer, Diduch had a triple and Vance posted a double. Chiodo also picked up a pair of hits for the Vikings, and Shannon Murray had a triple and two runs batted in.

Plymouth State scored two in the top of the first, but the Vikings tied it in the bottom half of the inning. Chiodo singled and Geipel reached on an error to get the rally started. Murray then tripled to score both.

Lawrence went up 4-2 with two runs in the bottom of the third. After Kaye reached on an error and Chiodo walked Murray grounded out to score Kaye. Vance followed with a double to score Chiodo and put the Vikings up 4-2.

After Plymouth State scored three times in the top of the fifth to go up 5-4, Kaye homered to lead off the bottom half of the inning to tie it.

CLERMONT, Fla. — The Lawrence University softball team rallied late against Washington and Jefferson College but dropped a 6-4 nonconference decision on Thursday.

Lawrence (3-6) trailed 5-0 but trimmed that margin in the top of the sixth with a pair of runs. Alissa Geipel was at first when Shannon Murray tripled to cut the lead to 5-1. Murray then scored on a wild pitch to trim the margin to 5-2.

Lawrence  rallied again in the seventh with two outs. Errors allowed both Cory Paquette and Cathy Kaye to reach, and Alex Chiodo followed with a run-scoring single to trim the lead to 6-3. The Presidents committed another error to allow Geipel to reach and Kaye to score.

With the tying runs on base, Murray then hit a sharp liner to center field that was caught to end the game. 

Murray went the distance for Lawrence and took the loss. She allowed five hits, struck out two and walked one. The Presidents did almost all their damage in the first when they scored four times on three hits with the help of a walk and an error.

CLERMONT, Fla. — The UW-Stevens Point softball team scored four times in the seventh inning and posted a 6-0 nonconference win over Lawrence University on Tuesday.

Michelle Jones went the distance for Stevens Point. She allowed five hits, struck out five and walked one en route to the win. Kara Vance also pitched all seven innings for Lawrence (2-5). She gave up nine hits, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Vance also led the Lawrence offense by going 2-for-3.

Sam Raddant had two hits to pace Stevens Point, and Jordan Schreiner drove in a pair of runs.

Stevens Point was nursing a 2-0 lead in the sixth, but Jones worked out of a jam to preserve the shutout. The Pointers then collected four runs on four hits in the top of the seventh to pull away.

CLERMONT, Fla. — The Lawrence University softball team couldn’t contain the SUNY-Oneonta offense on Monday, and the Red Dragons posted a 4-1 nonconference victory. 

 Oneonta piled up 14 hits en route to the victory.

The Red Dragons took a 1-0 lead in the second, but Lawrence countered with a run in the bottom of the third when Cathy Kaye singled and later scored on Alissa Geipel’s single.

Oneonta grabbed the lead back with a run in the fourth and added two more in the fifth to take control. That was enough for Oneonta starter Kerry Leggett, who went the distance. She allowed five hits, struck out nine and walked one.

Shannon Murray picked up two of Lawrence’s five hits. Freshman Kara Vance went five innings and took the loss for Lawrence.

CLERMONT, Fla. — The Williams College softball team jumped out to a big early lead and went on to an 11-3 nonconference victory over Lawrence University on Monday.

The Ephs pounded out 13 hits and broke a 1-1 tie with seven runs in the second inning. Williams added another run in the third and two more in the fifth.

Lawrence (2-3) scored single runs in the first, third and fifth but was limited to only four hits. Alissa Geipel led the Vikings by going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Cory Paquette had a double for Lawrence, and Cathy Kaye picked up the other hit.

Ally Ensor went the distance to get the win, and she struck out four and walked two. Shannon Murray went two innings and took the loss.