LISLE, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College split its Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference opener with Benedictine on Saturday, winning game one in come-from-behind fashion, 6-4, before falling 10-1 in five innings in game two.
Game 1: Wisconsin Lutheran 6, Benedictine 4
Trailing 4-0 entering the sixth, the Warriors (7-7, 1-1 NACC) broke through with three runs in the top of the inning. After loading the bases, freshman
Peyton Crutcher (Ashwaubenon, Wis.) delivered the key swing, lining a two-out, three-run double to left field to cut the deficit to 4-3.
WLC completed the comeback in the seventh. Freshman
Rebecca Reddeman (Canton, Mich.) led off with a walk and later scored on freshman
Anna Bracke's (Brookfield, Wis.) two-out, game-tying RBI double to center. Junior
Sommer Krull (New London, Wis.) followed with another double to plate Bracke and give Wisconsin Lutheran its first lead at 5-4. Sophomore
Maritza Martinez (Kenosha, Wis.) added an additional insurance run with another RBI double for a 6-4 advantage.
The Eagles (9-3, 1-1 NACC) had built their lead with a three-run fourth inning, aided by an error, and a solo homerun in the fifth.
Crutcher finished with a game-high three RBIs for the Warriors, while Krull and Martinez each recorded two hits. Bracke added a double and an RBI.
In the circle, sophomore
Alyssa Dinnauer (Dousman, Wis.) tossed two innings in relief, and sophomore
Teagan Piven (Plainfield, Ill.) closed the door with a scoreless seventh to secure her fifth save of the season.
Morgan Bruno led BenU with two hits and an RBI.
Game 2: Benedictine 10, Wisconsin Lutheran 1 (5 Inn.)
Benedictine broke open a 1-1 game in the bottom of the second, scoring seven runs on 10 hits. A two-run homerun and five RBI singles highlighted the inning, as the Eagles built an 8-1 lead.
BenU added two more runs in the third to extend the advantage to 10-1.
WLC scored its lone run in the second inning. Crutcher singled and later came around to score on junior
Madison Heller's (South Milwaukee, Wis.) RBI double, tying the game at 1-1 before Benedictine's big inning.
Wisconsin Lutheran finished with six hits, including one each from junior
Julianna Alloy (Harrison Township, Mich.), Krull, sophomore
Kylie Gaston (Albertville, Minn.), Martinez, Crutcher, and Heller. Heller drove in the team's only run.
Lauren Bogard led the Eagles' 15-hit attack, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Haley Barnes and Mia Giammarese added two hits and two RBIs. Claire Stillwell tossed three scoreless relief innings to earn the win the circle.
The Warriors next travel to Wheaton, Illinois, on Wednesday, March 25 for a 2 p.m. non-conference doubleheader with the host Thunder (7-5). Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
