LISLE, Ill. – In need of picking up at least one win in its weekend against two of the toughest teams in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, the Lakeland College softball team manufactured a run and a win in defeating Benedictine (Ill.) University 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon.
The Muskies used a double-steal in the sixth inning to take the lead and win the first game of the twinbill that was moved to Benedictine's home field due to forecasted rain showers in the Sheboygan area. The Eagles did come back with a 7-3 win in the second game as the teams split for the day.
The results leave Lakeland still squarely in the thick of the hunt for a spot in the six-team NACC Tournament, but also with work to do. The Muskies (17-15 overall) are now tied with Marian University for sixth place in league at 9-9, with both Wisconsin Lutheran College (8-10) and Milwaukee School of Engineering (7-9) lurking behind. Lakeland does control its own destiny and can clinch a spot with sweeps of Rockford (Ill.) University and MSOE in its final two doubleheaders this coming weekend.
The Muskies recorded just four hits in the first game but only needed one in the sixth inning to take the lead.
Jessica Beaudry (
So.-Gladstone, Mich.) singled with two outs to move pinch runner
Sami Jo Williams (Jr.-Sussex, Wis.) to third base, and
Meghan Etten (
Fr.-Elkhorn, Wis.) came on as a pinch runner at first. Etten then took off for second base, and when the throw went down to second, Williams broke home and scored the lead run on the double steal.
Lakeland then withstood some drama in the seventh inning, as Benedictine (24-12 overall, 12-6 NACC) put runners at the corners with two out.
Savannah Stenlund (
So.-Rapid River, Mich.) was able to induce Kailee Cable to ground into a fielders' choice, though, to end the game.
The Muskies were in position to win the second game right up to the seventh inning, when the Eagles made their move. The teams were tied at 1-1 when Benedictine scored six times, rapping out seven hits and sending 10 batters to the plate to take a big lead.
The Eagles needed those runs when Lakeland made a final push, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh to make things interesting. Pinch hitter
Taylor Bush (
Fr.-Waukesha, Wis.) continued an excellent day at the plate with a run-scoring triple for her third RBI of the day, and Williams followed with an RBI single to send home Bush.
Stenlund got the win in the first game after coming on in relief for Bush and pitching two scoreless innings. Bush threw the first five innings and allowed six hits and two runs. Stenlund took the loss in the second game, going 6 2/3 innings and allowing 10 hits and four runs with four strikeouts.
Lakeland now takes a break for final exams and will play next on Friday when it travels to face Rockford for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
