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Box Score 2 LOVES PARK, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – The Wisconsin Lutheran College softball team opened its 2020 season on Monday with a doubleheader against the Beloit Buccaneers at Mercyhealth Sportscore Two. The Warriors split the games, falling 7-5 in the opener before winning 13-4 in game two behind four-RBI performances from senior Karah Ritacco (Chicago, Ill.) and sophomore Jules Morini (Chicago, Ill.). It was also the first victory for first-year head coach James Flegel.
- Final Scores: Beloit 7, Wisconsin Lutheran 5; Wisconsin Lutheran 13, Beloit 4
- Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (1-1), Beloit (2-2)
- Location: Mercyhealth Sportscore Two, Loves Park, Ill.
- Beloit scored four runs on a pair of errors by the Warriors in the bottom of the first. The Buccaneers tacked on three more in the second inning, including two via a ground-rule double.
- Wisconsin Lutheran cut into the deficit in the third, scoring a pair of runs to make the score 7-2. Senior Ellen Davis (Greendale, Wis.) scored on an error before Ritacco drove home a run with a sacrifice fly to center.
- Ritacco launched a double to right center in the fifth inning, plating sophomore Aerin Moberg (Wheaton, Ill.) for her second RBI of the game.
- In the sixth, senior Melissa Ericson (Lisle, Ill.) opened with a double to center and later advanced to third on a single by junior Maddie Lindemann (Watertown, Wis.). Morini knocked in Ericson with a single and Davis drove in Lindemann to cut the margin to 7-5.
- The Warriors threatened in the seventh, putting a pair of runners on base, but were unable to even the score, falling by two runs.
- Freshman Jena Almodovar (Romeoville, Ill.) tossed all 6.0 frames for Wisconsin Lutheran, allowing three earned runs and striking out a pair. Ritacco and Ericson each recorded a pair of hits for WLC's offense.
- The Warriors opened the second game with back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position. Morini connected on a double to left field driving in both runs, and another run scored later in the inning on a throwing error by the catcher.
- WLC's advantage grew in the second inning as Ritacco lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Moberg. Junior Gracie Wilson (Deerfield, Wis.) scored the second run of the inning after an error by the Beloit first baseman allowed Almodovar to reach base.
- The Bucs responded with one run in the bottom half of the second on a triple but the Warriors got the run back in their half of the third on an RBI groundout from sophomore Ileana Fierro (Chicago, Ill.). Beloit scored once on a double in the bottom half as the Warriors led 6-2 through three.
- Ritacco connected on a two-run homerun in the fourth inning to extend Wisconsin Lutheran's lead, and Davis added to that advantage, driving in a run on an infield single to second base.
- The Warriors responded to a Buccaneers run in the bottom half of the fourth with one of their own in the fifth, as sophomore Katie Scott (Sallisaw, Okla.) crossed the plate on an error.
- WLC extended the lead to 13-3 in the seventh inning, as Almodovar singled one home and Morini drove home a pair with her third double of the day and fourth hit of the game. Morini and Ritacco each finished with four runs batted in, and combined for seven of the Warriors' 14 hits in game two.
- Beloit scored one in its half of the seventh as WLC won 13-4. Freshman Hanna Gibbons (Markesan, Wis.) earned the victory, throwing 6.0 innings and striking out five while allowing three runs.
- Five Buccaneers recorded hits in the opener, and three players each drove in a pair of runs. Maddy Pfortmiller moved to 1-1 on the season after throwing all 7.0 innings in the circle.
- Cora Aubert was saddled with the loss, tossing 3.0 innings and giving up six runs in the hightcap.
- The Warriors begin their spring break trip in Clermont, Florida next Monday with a pair of games. WLC opens with Northwestern (Minn.) at 8:00 a.m. CST and later matches up against Lake Forest at 10:15 a.m. CST.
