Mired in a four-game losing streak, the Lindenwood softball team was due to breakout in a big way, and it did just that against visiting Blackburn College Sunday afternoon at the Lou Brock Sports Complex. The Lady Lions erupted for 19 runs, and swept the Beavers 10-2 and 9-1.
In game one, starter
Heidi Schertzer tossed a complete game one-hitter, fanning four. The lone mistake came in the top of the first inning when Blackburn's Grace Young sent the first pitch she saw over the wall for a 2-run homerun.
Blackburn would not lead for long however. In the second inning, the first three Lindenwood batters reached base, and
Emily Johnson cleared the bases with a triple to right field.
Jessica Long added a 2-run single to put the Lady Lions up 5-2.
In the fifth,
Katie Wessel had an RBI base hit, and the Beavers allowed Lindenwood to score consecutive runs on a walk and a hit batsmen with the bases loaded to fall behind 8-2.
Samantha Van Pelt drove in a run with a single, and the eight-run rule was put into effect moments later when the Blackburn centerfielder dropped a fly ball that plated another run.
Johnson was two-for-three with three RBIs and two runs scored. Long posted three RBIs and both Wessel and
Sophia Galati had two hits and scored twice.
In game two, Lindenwood took an early 1-0 lead in the first after
Macy Bross scored on a throwing error by the first basemen.
Van Pelt led off the third inning with a base hit and scored after a throwing error by the third basemen.
Danielle Merli and
Kimberly Franke had back-to-back RBI singles to push the lead to 4-0, and
Bailee Winkler added an run scoring ground-out to make it 5-0.
In the fith inning, Franke doubled to lead off, and next batter, Winkler, smashed a 3-2 pitch to right field for the team's first homerun of the season.
Hannah Keeney had an RBI double moments later, and the game ended when
Chelsea Landeck scored on a pass ball.
Cassondra VanDyke improved to 2-0 on the season, scattering six hits and allowing one run. She struck out a season-high seven batters.
Eight different players scored at least one run, and Franke, Merli, Landeck, and
Jodi Urhahn each posted two hits.
Lindenwood (6-8) will return to action on Wednesday against Maryville.