WHEATON, Ill. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College was walked-off twice in a pair of one-run non-conference games on Wednesday, falling to Wheaton 5-4 and 9-8 at Ruth Leedy Field.
Game 1: Wheaton 5, Wisconsin Lutheran 4 (8 Inn.)
The Warriors (7-9) opened the scoring in the first inning, taking advantage of a Thunder error to grab a 1-0 lead. WC responded in the bottom half with a three-run homer to move in front 3-1.
WLC chipped away in the second inning, as freshman
Anna Bracke (Brookfield, Wis.) came around to score on a passed ball to make it 3-2. Wisconsin Lutheran then took the lead in the third, as junior
Sommer Krull (New London, Wis.) delivered an RBI double to tie the game before another Wheaton error allowed the go-ahead run to score for a 4-3 advantage.
The Thunder (11-5) evened the game in the bottom of the third on an RBI single, and both teams were held scoreless from the fourth through the seventh innings.
In the eighth, WC capitalized on a trio of hits and an error, with Amaya Daniels delivering a two-out, walk-off RBI single to secure the 5-4 win.
Bracke and freshman
Rebecca Reddeman (Canton, Mich.) led the Warriors at the plate with two hits apiece, while Krull drove in a run. Sophomore
Maritza Martinez (Kenosha, Wis.) also scored twice for WLC.
Wheaton was paced offensively by Ava Hartnett (2-for-4), Nori Kang (two runs scored), and Livi Figueroa, who hit a three-run homerun in the first inning. Mia Reinhard and Daniels each added an RBI. Shylah Dozeman earned the win in the circle, tossing a complete game. She allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out three and walking one over eight innings.
Game 2: Wheaton 9, Wisconsin Lutheran 8
Wisconsin Lutheran struck first with a three-run opening inning. Sophomore
Kylie Gaston (Albertville, Ill.) delivered an RBI single that, coupled with a Thunder error, brought home two runs before sophomore
Natalie Jordan (Cincinnati, Ohio) added an RBI single to make it 3-0.
WC responded with two runs in the bottom of the first and tied the game in the third on a solo homerun. Wheaton then took a 4-3 lead in the fourth.
The Warriors regained control in the sixth, scoring four times. Krull tied the game with an RBI single, Reddeman followed with a run-scoring hit, and freshman
Katelyn Ruth (Canton, Mich.) capped the rally with a two-RBI single for a 7-4 advantage.
The Thunder answered immediately in the bottom half, as a three-run homerun tied the game at 7-7.
WLC jumped back in front in the seventh on an RBI single by freshman
Addyson Wheeler (Freeport, Ill.), but WC responded in the bottom of the inning with consecutive two-out RBI singles to take the 9-8 victory.
Reddeman and Gaston each recorded two hits to lead Wisconsin Lutheran, while Wheeler, Jordan, and Ruth also had multi-hit efforts. Ruth drove in two runs, and Reddeman and Jordan each added an RBI.
Wheaton was led by Mia Reinhard's 3-for-4 performance with two RBIs. Abby Whitehead scored three runs, while Cate Welch drove in four runs on two homeruns. Nori Kang also added two hits. Iris Jones earned the win in relief, allowing one run on one hit with one strikeout and one walk over 1.1 innings.
The Warriors open Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play on Friday, hosting St. Norbert (8-6) in a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Neumann Family Softball Field. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.
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