DOUBLE DIP: Norse Softball Wins 2 In Wisconsin

WAUWATOSA, Wis.---The Bay College women's softball team had trouble bringing runners home in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday at Wisconsin Lutheran, but managed to come from behind to post a 5-4 win in eight innings in Wauwatosa, Wis.

The Norse also won the second game, 12-3, in five innings.

The Norse hit the ball well throughout the game, but the JV Warriors were able to make enough plays in the outfield to hold Bay to just one win for the first part of the game.

Lexi Winling retired the first eight batters she faced before finally yielding a run in the fourth inning. A nicely-turned 6-4-3 double play by the Norse infield kept it a 1-1 game going to the fourh inning, but the JV Warriors scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to take a 3-1 lead.

Bay pushed across a run in the top of the sixth inning as Richelle Vandeville singled home Paige Welch, who was running for Aubree Saunders.

The Norse barely missed out on the tying run, however, as an Emily LaFave shot went foul down the rught field line. Rhiley Hubert came on to pitch in the sixth inning and she kept the Warriors off the board, allowing the Norse to rally.

Kaitlyn Hardwick's RBI double to the fence in right-center field tied the game in the seventh, and it looked like the Norse would take the lead with the bases loaded and nobody out. But a strike out and two grounders ended the threat.

Hubert worked a quiet bottom of the seventh, so the game went to extra innings, with the international tiebreaker rule being used.

Each team was given a runner at second base to start the inning, and the Norse took advantage as Emily Bruntjens and Claire McInerney came through with back-to-back RBI hits to make it a 5-3 contest.

Things got hairy in the bottom of the eighth as the Warriors scored a run, and had a runner on second base with nobody out. But Hubert got one out on a line drive to Maddy Griffin at third base.

She then struck out the next batter, and got the final out on a grounder to McInerney at second base. Bay College outhit Wisconsin Lutheran JV, 14-7, but stranded twelve runners on base. Bruntjens had two singles, a double, and a triple at the top of the Norse batting order. Vandeville had three hits, while McInerney, Hardwick, and Jerrika McAlpine all had two base hits. Rebecca Foster drove in two runs for the JV Warriors.

In the circle, Winling got a no-decision, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits. She walked two and struck out five. Hubert tossed the final three innings to earn the win, allowing one unearned run. Grace Dombush threw all eight innings for the Warriors, giving up five runs (three eaned) on 14 hits. She did not walk a batter.

SECOND GAME SHORTENED WINNER

The Norse scored six runs in the fourth inning to break a 3-3 tie and post the 12-3 win in a game shortened by darkness to five innings.

Emily Bruntjens had three more hits (giving her seven for the afternoon), while McInerney had three more runs batted in.

Maddy Griffin, who was robbed of a hit twice in the first game, had two hits and drove in two runs in the nightcap. She also scored twice. McAlpine drove in two runs and Eve LaFleche had two hits.

Hubert threw the first three innings in the circle, giving up three runs on six hits, to earn the win, Winling tossed the final hitless two innings.

McKenzie Serafino took the loss for Wisconsin Lutheran JV, giving up 12 runs on 12 hits, although only three of the runs against her were earned thanks to errors.

Bay College improved to 12-4 on the season and will stay in the Milwaukee area for a doubleheader on Saturday against Bryant & Stratton College.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos, videos from Friday's game.