WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace's softball team gave No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan a battle during a doubleheader on Monday.
The Lady Lancers lost twice at Coach Phil Dick Field, but Grace gave the 8th-ranked Wildcats a scare in game two. IWU won 8-0 and 2-1.
The Wildcats (30-5, 14-2 Crossroads League) claimed the opener in a run-rule shortened game. IWU won 8-0 after five innings were complete.
IWU largely did its damage in the opening innings. The Wildcats scored seven of their runs in the first three innings, including a five-run second.
Grace did not struggle to find baserunners, but the Lady Lancers (9-18, 6-10 CL) were unable to turn those into runs. In the bottom of the second, Grace loaded the bases with no outs. But the next three batters for Grace struck out to end that threat.
The first two batters reached safely again for Grace in the fourth, but the Lady Lancers came up empty.
In the fifth, Grace did its best to stave off the run rule. Bethany Gardner and Cassandra Hayes singled back-to-back with two outs, but the final batter was retired with a ground ball.
The Lady Lancers were held to three hits but also added four walks and a hit by pitch.
In the second game, IWU scored first with a solo homer in the top of the second inning.
Grace responded with a game-tying run in the third. Izabela Duran led off the inning with a walk and moved to second after a wild pitch. With two outs in the inning, Jessica Kaurich produced a single to right field which allowed Duran to race home.
IWU homered again in the top of the fifth to regain the lead at 2-1, and that scoreline would hold for the rest of the contest.
The Lady Lancers had a double in both the fourth and sixth innings, but Grace was unable to push across a run. The Wildcats retired Grace 1-2-3 in the final inning to hold on for the narrow victory.
Kierstin Fickas impressed from the mound. The freshman pitcher threw all seven innings, limiting the high-powered Wildcats' offense to two runs on five hits. She struck out five in a complete-game effort.
The Lady Lancers remain home for three more series this week. Grace hosts Taylor on Tuesday (3 p.m.), Huntington on Friday (3 p.m.) and Goshen on Saturday (1 p.m.).
