Softball

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University softball team rallied for a win in the opener and then rolled to a big victory in game two to sweep a nonconference doubleheader from Rockford University on Sunday at Whiting Field.

Lawrence won the first game 4-3 and took the nightcap 9-1 in five innings. In the second game, Amanda Jaskolski hit her 12th homer of the season to tie Carli Gurholt’s season record.

In the opener, Lawrence (26-10) rallied from a 3-0 deficit to earn the victory. The Vikings got its offense going in the fifth when Marisa Thackston led off the inning with a double. After an out, Rheya Upadhyaya singled to score Thackston and trim the lead to 3-1.

Following another out, Savanna Marsicek delivered a run-scoring triple to cut the lead to 3-2. Jaskolski followed with another single to score Marsicek and tie the game. Sam Belletini then rifled a double to left-center to score Jaskolski and Lawrence led 4-3. Kori Looker followed with another single, but Belletini was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

Pitcher Liz Barthels, who entered the game in the fourth, retired the final five Rockford (7-32) hitters she faced to pick up her 12th win of the season. She allowed three hits, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.

In the nightcap, Lawrence led 2-1 before busting the game open in the fourth inning with seven runs on seven hits as the Vikings sent 13 hitters to the plate.

The Vikings did all the damage after two outs with Marsicek starting the scoring with an RBI double to make it 3-1. Jaskolski followed with a mammoth two-run homer for a 5-1 lead. Lawrence had five more hits in the frame, including a two-run double by Katie Schumacher, a run-scoring double by Taylor Dodson and an RBI single by Upadhyaya. When the dust settled, Lawrence led 9-1.

Jessica Demski retired the side in order in the fifth to close out the game by the eight-run rule in just 54 minutes. Demski went the distance and allowed three hits to improve to 4-0 on the season.

Belletini went 3-for-3 to pace Lawrence’s 14-hit attack, and Jaskolski, Looker, Dodson and Schumacher all had two hits for the Vikings. Jaskolski, Dodson and Schumacher all drove in two runs apiece.

Game one box score

Game two box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University softball team rallied for a Midwest Conference doubleheader split with Carroll University on Saturday at Whiting Field and captured the North Division title in the process.

Lawrence dropped the opener 9-8 in nine innings but won the nightcap 7-3 to take the North Division crown for the first time since 2005.

Lawrence (24-10, 10-4 MWC) will host the four-team MWC Tournament on May 1-2. Carroll (21-15, 9-5) also earned a tournament berth, and Lake Forest College and Cornell College are the South Division representatives.

The Vikings needed to win the nightcap to take the division title, and Lawrence got a superlative pitching effort from Jessica Demski and clutch hitting from Anna Wawiorka.

Demski went the distance, allowed six hits and three runs, all in the first inning. She walked two and didn’t strike out a hitter. Wawiorka went 2-for-4 and drove in four runs, and Katie Schumacher picked up a pair of RBIs.

Carroll grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap, and the Vikings rallied in the fifth inning against Carroll starter Hannah Miller.

Taylor Dodson and Marisa Thackston doubled and singled to start the inning, and Schumacher followed with a single to drive in Dodson and cut the lead to 3-1. After an out, Wawiorka ripped a double to left to score two more, and the game was tied 3-3. After a ground out moved Wawiorka to third, she scored when a throwing error allowed Amanda Jaskolski to reach and the Vikings led 4-3.

The Vikings went right back to work in the sixth and scored three more times. Lawrence loaded the bases on two walks and a fielder’s choice, and Schumacher’s ground out scored a run for a 5-3 lead. Two batters later, Wawiorka’s sharp single scored two more runs, and the Vikings were up 7-3.

Demski did the rest as she did not allow a hit after the first batter in the third inning.

The opener was a wild one as Lawrence built a 4-0 lead, had to rally to tie it in the bottom of the seventh and nearly tied it again in the ninth.

Schumacher, Thackston, Dodson, Kori Looker and Sam Belletini all had two hits for Lawrence, and Schumacher and Looker both drove in two runs.

Lawrence led 4-0 after four innings, but Carroll struck for three runs in the fifth. Kelly Strasser then hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run homer in the top of the seventh to put Carroll up 5-4.

Lawrence rallied for a run in the bottom half of the inning to tie it at 5-5 when Dodson singled and later scored on Schumacher’ single.

Carroll exploded for four runs in the top of the ninth, but Lawrence rallied again. Belletini led off the inning with a homer, and the Vikings then picked up four consecutive hits, including run-scoring singles from Schumacher and Duffy to cut the lead to 9-8. Wawiorka then flied out to left, and the Pioneers doubled up a runner at second to end the game.

Game one box score

Game two box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University softball team smacked three homers, including a grand slam, on the way to sweeping a Midwest Conference doubleheader from St. Norbert College on Wednesday.

Lawrence won the opener 11-4 and took the nightcap 4-1 at Whiting Field.

Savanna Marsicek hit her first career grand slam in the opener that busted the game open on her way to going 2-for-4 with four runs batted in and two runs scored. Sam Belletini went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored for the Vikings, and Taylor Dodson and Tierney Duffy both had two hits.

Lawrence (23-9, 9-3 MWC) scored four times in the first as Dodson and Duffy both picked up run-scoring singled sandwiched around a bases-loaded walk to pitcher Kara Vance. The Vikings added three more runs in the second, including two on Belletini’s double, to take a 7-3 lead.

The Vikings were up 7-4 in the fifth when they loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk. Marsicek then blasted a grand slam into the teeth of a strong wind to give Lawrence an 11-4 lead.

Vance went the distance, allowing nine hits while striking out two and walking two, to pick up the victory.

In the nightcap, Lawrence hit two more homers and got a workmanlike performance from pitcher Liz Barthels to record the sweep.

St. Norbert (11-21, 6-6) scored in the top of the first inning, but Amanda Jaskolski gave the Vikings a 2-1 edge in the bottom half of the inning when she smacked a mammoth two-run homer. Lawrence made it 3-1 in the second when Katie Schumacher belted a solo homer.

Lawrence pulled out to a 4-1 edge when Jaskolski walked to open the third and then scored on Dodson’s single.

Barthels escaped a big jam in the fourth when the Anna Wawiorka threw out Jessica DeMeuse at the plate on a fielder’s choice. Barthels then struck out Brooke Wilson and snared a line drive to end the inning.

Barthels retired 11 of the final 12 hitters she faced. She went the distance, allowed seven hits, struck out two and didn’t walk a batter.

Belletini and Wawiorka both went 2-for-3 in the nightcap for the Vikings.

Lawrence moved into sole possession of first place in the MWC North Division with the sweep, which was the first sweep of the Green Knights since 2005. Lawrence is one game ahead of Carroll University, and the Vikings host the Pioneers in the final conference doubleheader of the season on Saturday.

Game one box score

Game two box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University softball team got a walk-off win in the opener and then romped to a win in the nightcap to sweep a nonconference doubleheader from Viterbo University on Friday at Whiting Field.

Lawrence took the first game 3-2 and won the nightcap 10-2.

In the opener, Amanda Jaskolski went 3-for-4 and drove in all three runs for Lawrence (21-9), and Tierney Duffy went 3-for-3 and scored all three runs.

Liz Barthels went the distance for the Vikings, allowed eight hits, struck out three and walked none to pick up the victory.

Lawrence rallied from a pair of one-run deficits to get the win. Duffy singled in the third and later scored on Jaskolski’s single to tie the game at 1-1. Duffy started the fifth with a bunt single and later scored Jaskolski’s single up the middle to tie the game at 2-2.

Duffy then started the bottom of the seventh with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a strikeout, Jaskolski belted a double to center field to score Duffy with the game-winner.

In the nightcap, the Vikings were down 2-0 on a pair of solo homers by Viterbo (4-29). Jaskolski cut the lead in half when she led off the fourth with a solo homer, her 10th of the season.

Lawrence then exploded for eight runs in the fifth to take a 9-2 lead. Marisa Thackston started the inning with a double and the Vikings finished with seven hits in the frame. Sam Belletini had a two-run double, Jessica Demski blasted a solo homer, Kori Looker had a run-scoring double and both Jaskolski and Taylor Dodson had RBI singles.

Lawrence ended the game on the eight-run rule in the sixth when Savanna Marsicek walked to start the inning and later scored on Looker’s single.

Jaskolski, Belletini and Looker all went 2-for-4 and all drove in two runs apiece. Dodson went 2-for-3 and drove in a run.

Demski went the distance to get the victory. She allowed four hits, struck out one and walked none.

The 21 wins matches Lawrence’s highest season victory total since the Vikings picked up 31 wins back in 1999. Lawrence also won 21 games in 2013. Lawrence has a minimum of six games remaining this season.

Game one box score

Game two box score

RIPON, Wis. — The Lawrence University softball team powered its way to a Midwest Conference doubleheader sweep of Ripon College on Thursday.

Lawrence won the opener 10-7, and the Vikings took the nightcap 8-0 at Tracy Field.

In the first game, Lawrence (19-9, 7-3 MWC) hit two homers and three doubles as part of its 16-hit attack.

Freshman Kori Looker homered and finished 4-for-4 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. Junior Katie Schumacher hit her first homer of the season and doubled on her way to going 3-for-5 with three RBIs.

Amanda Jaskolski and pitcher Kara Vance both went 2-for-4 and Vance drove in a pair of runs for the Vikings. Vance went 6.2 innings to pick up the win. Liz Barthels got the final out for her first save of the season.

Lawrence jumped on Ripon (5-22, 2-10) by scoring five runs in the first inning and two more in the second. Vance and Schumacher both had two-run singles in the first inning, and Looker had a run-scoring single in the second.

Ripon trimmed the lead to 7-5 with five runs in the bottom of the second, but Lawrence pulled away with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth. Looker belted a solo homer in the fourth, and Schumacher ripped a solo shot in the sixth.

Ripon scored a pair of runs with two outs in the seventh and had the bases loaded when Barthels got a pop up to end the game.

In the nightcap, Barthels tossed a five-hitter for her second shutout of the season. She struck out three and walked two and did not allow a runner past second base.

Jaskolski went 3-for-3 with a homer and a double, drove in five runs and scored two. Schumacher, Looker and Tierney Duffy all went 2-for-4 as the Vikings rapped out 12 hits.

Jaskolski had a run-scoring double to give Lawrence a 1-0 lead in the first, and Looker’s RBI double made it 2-0 in the fourth. The Vikings made it 4-0 in the fifth when Jaskolski’s two-out, two-run single scored Duffy and Marisa Thackston.

Lawrence sealed the win with four runs in the seventh with the big blow coming on Jaskolski’s two-run homer, her ninth round-tripper of the season.

Game one box score

Game two box score

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University softball team jumped on UW-Stevens Point early in the nightcap and went on to a nonconference doubleheader split with the Pointers on Tuesday at Whiting Field.

Lawrence took the second game 6-3, and Stevens Point won the opener 5-1.

In the second game, Lawrence (17-9) got several key hits and a standout pitching performance from Liz Barthels. Anna Wawiorka went 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs batted in to pace the Lawrence offense. Barthels went the distance, allowed eight hits and three runs, all in the seventh, struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.

The Vikings jumped on Stevens Point starter Bre Ellison for three runs in the bottom of the first. Sam Belletini smacked a run-scoring single, another run scored on a wild pitch and Kori Looker delivered another run-scoring single for a 3-0 lead.

The Vikings added two more runs in the fourth when Wawiorka belted a two-run triple to score Marisa Thackston and Tierney Duffy for a 5-0 lead. Lawrence added an insurance run in the fifth when Amanda Jaskolski doubled and later scored on Taylor Dodson’s double.

Stevens Point (9-18) made it interesting in the seventh by scoring three runs on four hits. The Pointers had the tying run at the plate with two outs, but Paige Allen’s soft line drive was caught by Jaskolski to end the game.

In the opener, Stevens Point starter Miranda Morrison limited Lawrence to four hits over seven innings. She struck out six and walked one.

The Pointers had 12 hits and scored twice in the third and twice in the fifth. Jordon Schreiner went 3-for-4, homered and drove in two runs.

Belletini collected two of Lawrence’s four hits in the opener.

Game one box score

Game two box score

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University softball standout Sam Belletini was named the Midwest Conference Player of the Week.

A sophomore catcher, Belletini (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) hit .591 and pounded out seven extra-base hits at the Midwest Conference Classic to lead Lawrence to a 4-2 mark against the South Division.

Belletini went 13-for-24 with four doubles, three homers, nine runs batted in and seven runs scored. She compiled a 1.182 slugging percentage and .609 on-base percentage for a 1.791 OPS.

Belletini’s biggest game of the weekend was a 4-for-5 performance against Grinnell College that featured three doubles, a homer and five RBIs.

Belletini is now hitting .342 on the season with seven doubles, three homers and 14 RBIs.

This marks the third consecutive week Lawrence has won a weekly honor from the conference. Tierney Duffy (North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield) was the Player of the Week on April 6, and Kara Vance (Racine, Wis./Park) was Pitcher of the Week on March 30.

Lawrence returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts UW-Stevens Point in a nonconference doubleheader at Whiting Field.

JANESVILLE, Wis. — The Cornell College softball team hit five home runs, three by Kendra Christensen, and powered to a 9-1 victory over Lawrence University on Sunday at the Midwest Conference Classic.

In addition to Christensen’s three homers, Kylea Weber and Melissa Orton also went deep for the Rams (22-4, 6-1 MWC). Christensen went 3-for-3, scored three runs and drove in six to pace Cornell’s 16-hit attack.

Lawrence (16-8, 5-3) finished with a 4-2 record against the South Division in the crossover tournament.

Sam Belletini and Savanna Marsicek both went 2-for-3 for the Vikings, and Kori Looker’s solo homer in the second provided Lawrence’s only run.

Liz Barthels started for the Vikings but lasted only two innings and took the loss. Jesse Applehans went the distance for Cornell to pick up the win.

Box score

JANESVILLE, Wis. — The Lawrence University softball team scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday for a 4-3 walk-off win over Lake Forest College at the Midwest Conference Classic.

Lawrence (16-7, 5-2 MWC) trailed 3-2 heading to the bottom of the eighth, but Sam Belletini led off the inning with a single. After an error on Kori Looker’s bunt attempt, Lawrence had runners at second and third.

Lake Forest retired the next two hitters with no damage, but Tierney Duffy’s two-out, two-run single to center field scored both runners to give Lawrence the victory.

Belletini, who homered, and Duffy both went 2-for-4, and Duffy finished with three runs batted in.

A two-run homer gave Lake Forest (22-5, 8-1) a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth, but Lawrence countered in the bottom of the sixth. Belletini led off the sixth with a homer to trim the lead to 2-1, and Looker followed with a single. After a pair of outs, Duffy doubled to score Looker and tie the game at 2-2.

Jessi Werner came on in relief for the eighth inning and took the loss.

Box score

JANESVILLE, Wis. — The Illinois College softball team exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 7-1 win over Lawrence University on Saturday at the Midwest Conference Classic.

Lawrence (15-7, 4-2 MWC) was holding a 1-0 edge, but the Lady Blues (9-13, 3-5) had six hits to score seven times in the sixth.

Sierra McDonald had a pair of doubles in the sixth inning for Illinois College and finished 2-for-4. Kinzie Verhines and Hannah Knapper also picked up a pair of his for the Lady Blues.

Kara Vance allowed seven hits and five runs and took the loss for Lawrence. Amanda Price scattered seven hits, struck out one and walked four to pick up the win. She also stranded seven Lawrence runners.

Sam Belletini went 2-for-2 to pace the Lawrence offense.

Lawrence scored its lone run in the second when Taylor Dodson walked and later scored on Vance’s single.

Box score