THAT'S A WRAP: Norse Softball Finishes Trip 8-2

TITUSVILLE, Fla.---Lexi Winling pitched a complete-game and Maddy Griffin drove in three runs with a single, double, and triple, to lead the Bay College women's softball team to a 5-1 win over the Spoon River (Ill.) Snappers on Thursday in Florida.

This followed an 8-0 loss earlier in the day to DuPage (Ill.) College.

The Norse finish the spring trip to Titusville with a 8-2 record.

In the opener, the Norse managed only three base hits in losing by the mercy rule for the second time in the tournament. Kaitlyn Hardwick's infield hit in the first inning, Richelle Vandeville's pop fly single in the second, and Emily LaFave's single in the fifth inning were the only Bay hits. Rhiley Hubert took the loss, throwing all six innings.

DuPage, which the Norse beat, 8-0, on Wednesday, scored five runs in the second inning to take control.

Ashley Eierman had a two-run single and Kate Koska added an RBI single during that rally.

Pitcher Karen Martini used her rise pitch to her advantage throughout the game, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning with a strikeout.

In the nightcap, the Norse got great defense by outfielders Jerrika McAlpine (left), Emily Bruntjens (center), and Emily LaFave (right), and Winling scattered seven hits in a complete-game pitching effort. Aubree Saunder's RBI single in the first inning put Bay in front, but the Snappers got even in the second inning when Kaela Hangebrauck tripled and scored on a sacrafice fly by Kaleigh Bruner.

Bay took the lead in the second inning on a single by Vandeville, a bunt single from Claire McInerney, and a two-run triple by Griffin. She scored on a LaFave double, making it a 4-1 game.

Griffin blooped a double to right field in the third inning to bring Vandeville home with another run, and it was defense and pitching from there.

Griffin got her third hit of the game in the fifth inning, a single. But she never got to the plate again for an attempt at a home run and hitting for the cycle. LaFave, Saunders, and Vandeville all also had two base hits apiece for the Norse.

"We saw two extremes today with our team," said Head Coach Heidi Charon. "This morning's game was rough. Our energy was almost as flat as our bats. Thankfully the girls were able to start fresh in our second game against Spoon River. Our bats exploded, Lexi [Winling] pitched an excellent game, and our outfield robbed them of several big hits."

The Norse wrap up their spring trip winners of eight of ten games. "I'm so proud of the team for how hard they've worked this week. Playing ten games in five days is far from easy. It's exciting to see that we can compete with teams like Spoon River. We have learned a lot and are anxious to see how we measure up with teams in our region next weekend in Minnesota."

The Norse will compete in the Region XIII Early Bird Tournament next weekend in Rosemount, MN. They will play six games from Thursday, March 21 to Saturday, March 23.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos, videos taken by Brad Landis. Also, listen to interviews with Coach Heidi Charon, Maddy Griffin, Aubree Saunders, and Lexi Winling.