Warriors split non-conference doubleheader with Mount Mary

The Wisconsin Lutheran College softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Mount Mary on Tuesday at Warrior Field. The Warriors took game one 2-1 before falling in the nightcap 9-7.

In the opener, junior pitcher Katie Timm (Frankin, Wis./Franklin) was impressive in the circle as she tossed a complete game allowing just four hits and striking out four to lead Wisconsin Lutheran to the 2-1 victory.

WLC got on the scoreboard early in game one as Timm singled in freshman Dayan Gacgacao (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) in the bottom of the first to put the Warriors on top 1-0 after one inning. Wisconsin Lutheran plated its other run in the third inning as Timm again recorded an RBI single when she brought home Mindy Schalinske (Burlington, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) to give WLC a 2-0 advantage.

That score would remain until the top of the seventh when the Blue Angels finally got to Timm as Nicole Ordway led off the frame with a double and later scored on a Stacy Holmberg RBI groundout to make the final score 2-1 in favor of Wisconsin Lutheran.

Katie Edwards took the loss in the opener despite pitching very well for the visiting Blue Angels. Edwards allowed two runs, one earned, in six innings of work and struck out two.

Timm was the top hitter for WLC in the opener as she tallied both RBI and finished the contest 2-for-3. She was the only player for either team to record multiple hits in game one.

The bats woke up for both teams in game two of the doubleheader as the two squads combined for 16 runs and 25 hits. Sloppy defense was also a theme in the second contest as there were 11 errors committed between the two teams.

Mount Mary got the scoring started in the top of the second as it plated four runs to take a 4-0 advantage. The Blue Angels added another run in the top of the third on an RBI walk from Malinda Henning for a 5-0 lead entering the bottom of the third.

The Warriors answered with two runs in the bottom of the third as Gacgacao doubled with one out and Jinny Curtis (Muskego, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) tripled her in and later scored on an RBI groundout from Emily Sievert (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago) to make the score 5-2 in favor of Mount Mary heading into the fourth.

Both teams would plate a run in the fourth inning giving the Blue Angels a 6-3 lead, but the Warriors responded with a big four-run fifth to regain the lead at 7-6. Curtis began the inning reaching on an error and Timm tripled her in to start the rally for WLC. Lauren Mantz (West Bend, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) added an RBI single in the inning to help give the Warriors their first lead of game two.

That lead would not last long, however, as the Blue Angels answered with three runs in the top of the sixth, highlighted by an RBI single from Henning, to take back the lead heading into the last inning and a half of play. The Warriors failed to score in their last two chances allowing Mount Mary to salvage a split with the 9-7 game two win.

Jessica Kelly picked up the win for the Blue Angels (6-22) as she allowed four earned runs in the complete-game victory. Timm took the loss for Wisconsin Lutheran and allowed five earned runs over seven innings and struck out two.

Mantz led WLC at the plate in game two as the junior went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Curtis scored a pair of runs for the Warriors. Kelly and Ashley Leverenz paced the Blue Angels attack with three hits each, while Henning led all players with three RBI.

Wisconsin Lutheran (10-16, 4-8 NAC) will return to action on Thursday when it hosts Edgewood (10-16, 3-9 NAC) in a Northern Athletics Conference doubleheader. First pitch between the Warriors and Eagles is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Warrior Field.