Softball

MONMOUTH, Ill. — The Lawrence University softball team picked up a Midwest Conference doubleheader split Saturday at Monmouth College to open league play.

Lawrence took the opener 7-3, and Monmouth won the nightcap 12-6.

In the opener, rookie Maddie MacLean went the distance and limited the Scots to three runs on 11 hits to earn the win for Lawrence (8-7-1, 1-1 MWC).

Kori Looker went 2-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs, Rachel Urich went 2-for-4 and Taylor Dodson had two RBIs for the Vikings.

Monmouth’s Liz Hippen went the distance and allowed eight hits, walked eight and struck out four.

Lawrence jumped on top in third when the Vikings loaded the bases and Dodson drew a walk. Looker followed with a two-run double to put the Vikings up 3-0.

The Vikings added two more runs in the fourth with the help of two singles and an error to push the lead to 5-0. Monmouth cut the margin to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Lawrence pushed the lead to 7-2 in the sixth on MacLean’s run-scoring single and Dodson’s RBI ground out.

In the second game, Monmouth (12-8, 6-2) broke a 1-1 tie with six runs in the fourth inning. The big blow in the frame was pitcher Kaylee Kurtz’s three-run homer.

Kurtz, who went 3-for-4 at the plate, allowed four runs over 4.2 innings to pick up the win.

Meg Krautsch went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs for the Vikings. Lawrence’s Katie Schumacher went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and drove in a pair of runs, and Tierney Duffy collected a pair of hits.

Lawrence scored three times in the fifth to trim the margin to 7-4 as Krautsch and Schumacher both had run-scoring singles. Monmouth added two runs in the bottom half of the inning to go back up 9-4.

Krautsch had a two-run single in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 9-6, but Monmouth sealed the win with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Game one box score

Game two box score

ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Lawrence University softball team pounded out 26 hits Tuesday and rolled to a nonconference doubleheader sweep of Rockford University at Smith Athletic Field.

Lawrence won the opener 10-3 and took the nightcap 12-3 in five innings. Meg Krautsch had a huge day for the Vikings as she went 6-for-8 with two doubles, a triple, four runs scored and eight runs batted in.

In the first game, Krautsch went 2-for-3 with a triple, scored two runs and drove in five to pace the Vikings (7-6-1). Savanna Marsicek and Kori Looker both had two hits for Lawrence, and Marsicek picked up a triple.

Maddie MacLean went the distance for the Vikings and allowed six hits while striking out four and walking three.

The Vikings led 1-0 when they scored three times in the third, which started with Marsicek’s triple. Lawrence led 4-3 before adding three more in the fifth as MacLean and Taylor Dodson both smacked run-scoring doubles.

Lawrence put the game away with three runs in the sixth as Krautsch belted a bases-clearing, three-run triple for a 10-3 lead.

In the second game, Lawrence pounded out 16 hits and Krautsch powered the Vikings by going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBIs.

Tierney Duffy went 3-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs for Lawrence, and Looker, Jessica Demski and Anna Wawiorka all had a pair of hits.

Demski went the distance and limited Rockford (1-15) to seven hits while striking out two and walking two.

Lawrence jumped on the Regents with five runs in the first as Duffy picked up a two-run double and Krautsch added a run-scoring double.

The Vikings pushed the lead to 11-1 with six runs in the third with the big blow coming on Krautsch’s two-run double.

Game one box score

Game two box score

CLERMONT, Fla. — Thomas College scored the tiebreaking run in the top of the sixth inning Saturday and held on for a 2-1 nonconference victory over Lawrence University.

Lawrence threatened in both the bottom of the sixth and the seventh but couldn’t plate the tying run.

Sonja Morse allowed just four hits over seven innings to get the win for Thomas (4-5). She struck out five and walked four. Maddie MacLean went the distance for Lawrence (5-6-1), allowing 10 hits and striking out one without a walk.

The Terriers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth when Cassie Contigiani doubled and scored on Lexi Colpack’s single.

Lawrence tied it in the bottom half of the inning after loading the bases on a walk, hit batsman and bunt single. Tierney Duffy hit into a fielder’s choice that forced a runner out at the plate, but an error later on the play allowed Kori Looker to score and tie the game at 1-1.

Thomas took the lead back in the top of the sixth on Molly Carroll’s run-scoring single. Lawrence had runners at second and third in the bottom of the sixth but a strikeout ended the inning.

The Vikings also had Anna Wawiorka at second with two outs in the seventh, but Savanna Marsicek lined out to third to end the game.

Box score

CLERMONT, Fla. — The Lawrence University softball team scored a run in the top of the seventh inning Friday, but it was for naught as the Vikings went on to a 1-1 nonconference tie with Greenville College.

Greenville was batting with one out and no one on in the bottom of the seventh when the game was called due to rain.

Lawrence (5-5-1) broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh, and the rally started with Anna Wawiorka’s one-out single. Wawiorka stole second and scored on Meg Krautsch’s two-out single to give the Vikings the lead.

Lawrence starter Jessica Demski retired the first Greenville hitter in the bottom half of the inning when the game was halted.

The Vikings jumped on top in the top of the fifth after Demski led off with a single. Pinch-runner Marisa Thackston moved to second on a sacrifice. Thackston moved to third on a ground out and an error on that play allowed her to score.

Greenville (6-10-1) tied when Laney Thacker led off the bottom of the fifth with a homer.

Lawrence’s game with Colby College on Friday was canceled due to rain. The Vikings will now play Thomas College on Saturday morning.

Box score

CLERMONT, Fla. —  Ashley Merkin’s three-run homer proved to be the difference Thursday as the Centre College softball defeated Lawrence University 7-4.

Merkin’s blast capped a four-run fourth inning that turned a two-run deficit into a 6-4 lead. Erika Brewer then pitched the final four innings to pick up the win for the Colonels (10-12).

Savanna Marsicek went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs for the Vikings, and Katie Schumacher collected a pair of hits.

Lawrence (5-5) trailed 1-0 when the Vikings struck for four runs in the bottom of the second. Taylor Dodson doubled and Schumacher singled to start the inning, and Jessica Demski’s sacrifice fly tied the game at 1-1. A pair of walks loaded the bases and Marsicek cleared the bases with a double to put the Vikings up 4-1.

Centre added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, and the Vikings loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the inning but failed to score.

Maddie MacLean went 3 2/3 innings and gave up six runs on hits to take the loss for the Vikings.

Box score

CLERMONT, Fla. — The UW-Whitewater softball team scored in every inning Thursday and rolled to a 12-3 nonconference win over Lawrence University in five innings.

The Warhawks (6-4) rapped out 12 hits while limiting Lawrence (5-4) to just three hits. Four Whitewater players had two hits apiece and Amy Ricci drove in three runs.

Molly Ethington did not allow a hit over four innings and picked up the win. Maddie MacLean gave up seven hits and six runs over 3 1/3 innings and took the loss.

Whitewater scored once in the first and three times in the second, but the Warhawks broke the game open with six runs in the third.

Lawrence scored all three of its runs in the fifth as Katie Schumacher and Anna Wawiorka both had run-scoring doubles, and Savanna Marsicek picked up an RBI single.

Box score

CLERMONT, Fla. — The Bowdoin College softball team scored six times in the second inning Tuesday and rolled to a 10-2 nonconference win over Lawrence University.

Caroline Rice had three hits, and Katie Gately drove in three runs to pace the Polar Bears (7-4), who won the game via the eight-run rule in five innings. The Polar Bears added two more runs in the third and two in the fifth.

Emily Griffin tossed four scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out eight and walking two, to get the win. Jessica Demski went the distance for Lawrence (5-3) and gave up 16 hits and eight earned runs.

No one had more than one hit for Lawrence, which scored both of its runs in the bottom of the fifth. Tierney Duffy started the fifth with a bunt single and Anna Wawiorka reached on an error. Savanna Marsicek had a run-scoring single, and Meg Krautsch followed with a run-scoring ground out to cut the lead to 10-2.

Lawrence returns to action on Thursday when it takes on UW-Whitewater and Centre College.

Box score

CLERMONT, Fla. — A four-run fifth inning was the difference as the Rochester Institute of Technology downed Lawrence University 9-3 in a nonconference game on Tuesday.

The Tigers (3-4) were holding a one-run lead when they picked up six hits, including three doubles, in the fifth to seize control.

Amanda Cook went 4-for-4 and drove in three runs to pace RIT’s 16-hit attack. Lauren Mahar worked four innings of scoreless relief to pick up the win.

Anna Wawiorka collected two hits, including a homer, and drove in two runs to pace Lawrence (5-2). Savanna Marsicek and pitcher Maddie MacLean also had two hits for the Vikings.

MacLean went 4 1/3 innings and gave up seven runs and 12 hits in taking her first loss of the season.

The Tigers led 4-0 before Lawrence struck for all three of its runs in the top of the third. Tierney Duffy led off with a single and Wawiorka followed with a two-run homer to cut the lead in half. The Vikings added another run in the frame on Taylor Dodson’s sacrifice fly.

Lawrence missed several chances to get back in the game by leaving the bases loaded in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Vikings stranded 11 runners for the game.

Box score

CLERMONT, Fla. — Meg Krautsch homered and drove in four runs Monday to lead the Lawrence University softball team to a 9-4 nonconference win over Kalamazoo College.

Krautsch went 4-for-4, including her second home run of the season, drove in four and scored three runs to pace the Vikings (5-1).

Katie Schumacher went 2-for-3, including a two-run triple, and Anna Wawiorka went 2-for-3 and scored three times for Lawrence.

Maddie MacLean went the distance for the Vikings to improve to 3-0 on the season. MacLean, who went 2-for-4 at the plate, allowed 11 hits but only two earned runs while striking out one and walking none.

The Vikings trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the first but sliced into the lead with a pair of runs in their half of the inning. Wawiorka started the frame with a single, and Krautsch blasted a homer to batters later to cut the lead to 3-2.

Lawrence took a 4-3 lead with two unearned runs in the third. An error and two singles loaded the bases before Taylor Dodson delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 3-3. Kori Looker later drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Vikings ahead to stay.

The Vikings added a run in the fourth on Krautsch’s run-scoring single and then put the game away with four runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Tierney Duffy started the sixth with a double, and Wawiorka followed with a run-scoring single for a 6-4 lead. Krautsch picked up another RBI single, and Schumacher later delivered the big two-run triple to make it 9-4.

Victoria Najacht allowed 11 hits and eight runs over five innings and took the loss for Kalamazoo (1-8).

Box score

CLERMONT, Fla. — Jessica Demski went the distance and Tierney Duffy collected three hits Monday to lead the Lawrence University softball team to an 8-1 nonconference win over the University of Maine-Farmington.

Demski allowed only four hits, struck out two and walked one for the victory. Duffy went 3-for-3 and scored a pair of runs, and Anna Wawiorka drove in three runs to pace the Vikings (4-1).

The Vikings jumped on top in the second inning when Taylor Dodson walked, went to second on a wild pitch and later scored on an error. The Beavers (1-4) tied it at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the fourth.

Lawrence took command in the top of the fifth with three runs. Katie Schumacher started the inning with a double, and Duffy then had a two-out single to put two runners aboard. Wawiorka then drove in a pair of runs with a single to put Lawrence up 3-1. Wawiorka came around to score when Savanna Marsicek’s fly ball was misplayed in the outfield.

The Vikings sealed the win with four runs in the top of the seventh with the help of three Farmington errors. An error and Duffy’s single got things started, and Wawiorka then squeezed a run home. Duffy then stole home to put Lawrence up 6-1, and Lawrence added two more runs with the help of two errors for the final margin.

Kailyn Hill pitched the first five innings and took the loss for the Beavers.

Box score