Softball goes 2-2 on road

After traveling to Illinois for the weekend, the Lawrence University softball team struggled against the University of Chicago on Saturday, April 6, but pulled their act together Sunday for a pair of solid shutouts against Rockford College to end their trip.

At Stagg Field on Saturday, the women were swept in a non-conference doubleheader against the University of Chicago, 3-2 in the opener and 6-2 in the nightcap. The Maroons started off the scoring with a run in the first inning, but the Vikings fought back with a run of their own in the top of the second to tie things up. Junior Alex Chiodo was walked and junior Alissa Geipel stepped in to pinch run. Geipel quickly advanced and with the bases loaded, freshman Katie Schumacher was hit by a pitch to bring Geipel home and even the score at 1-1.

Pulling ahead, the Vikings scored again in the sixth inning when freshman Anna Wawiorka doubled to left field. Wawiorka was pushed to third on a bunt and later scored on freshman Taylor Dodson’s groundout. Though it looked good for the Vikes as they entered the bottom of the seventh with the lead, the Maroons knocked a walk-off two-run homerun off of senior Shannon Murray to seal the win over Lawrence.

Lawrence held a 2-1 lead in the nightcap with two runs in the second inning, but their scoring halted there. The Maroons went on to score three runs in the bottom-half of the second, and one in the fourth and sixth to secure the 6-2 win.

Although the weekend started rough, the Vikings got it together to take over Smith Athletic Field and shutout Rockford College 5-0 in the opener and 3-0 in the nightcap.

The Vikings dominated the opener right from the start when Dodson singled up the middle to bring in Murray and freshman Savanna Marsicek doubled to bring home Wawiorka. Schumacher later doubled in the fourth to bring home Marsicek and make it 3-0. Stepping in to pinch run for Murray, freshman Sarah Loepfe scored off of Dodson’s double down the left field line in the fifth. Next, senior Cathy Kaye reached base after singling up the middle, before stealing two bases. Finally, freshman Tierney Duffy drove in Kaye with a single to left center.

The Vikings compiled 14 hits against the Rockford Regents in the opener, while Lawrence pitchers Murray and sophomore Liz Barthels held their opponents to only five. Wawiorka went three-for-four to pace the Vikings, while Dodson, Marsicek and Murray each had two hits apiece.

The nightcap got off to a slower start, as the first run was not scored until the fifth inning, when Kaye singled in a run. In their final kick, Wawiorka belted a double to right-center in the top of the seventh to bring home Kaye and junior Mary Diduch, ending the scoring at 3-0.

Sophomore Kara Vance allowed only four hits in four 1/3 innings to get the win, and Murray recorded her fourth save of the season as she took over for the final two 2/3 innings. Kaye went three-for-three to lead the Viking offense, which was impressive since the team was held to just eight hits.

Due to weather conditions, Tuesday’s game at Alverno College was postponed.