Returning to the field for the first time in a year, the Lakeland University softball team opened its 2021 season falling twice to Cardinal Stritch University in a non-conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon.

The visiting Wolves won the first game 12-9 and also took the second by a 10-6 score. The games were part of an early open to the Muskies' season, as the two teams only three days earlier arranged to meet for the twinbill.

The games marked the Muskies return to play exactly one year after their 2020 season was prematurely ended by the COVID-19 virus. Lakeland had just finished its spring break trip to Florida last March 13 when the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference announced the cancellation of the remainder of all spring sports season due to the coronavirus.

Offenses held a significant advantage over the pitching in both games Saturday, especially with an 18-mph gusts up to 29 mph blowing out almost all day. The teams combined for 27 hits and 21 runs in the first game and another 21 hits and 16 runs in the second.

Lakeland and Cardinal Stritch also combined for 18 extra-base hits. The Muskies spent much of the day playing from behind, though, right from the start when the Wolves scored twice in the opening inning of the first game.

Stritch (2-2 overall) would record the day's first home run as well, when Isabelle Helm's deep fly to left hit off the top of the fence and bounced over for a three-run homer. The Muskies would rally back to take their first and only lead of the day, though, when a three-run fourth inning produced a brief 7-5 lead, but the Wolves came back with six runs in the fifth and would not trail again.

Cardinal Stritch also built a 6-0 lead early in the second game, including four runs scored on a single hit in the second inning as the Wolves took advantage of three walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Lakeland fought back with three runs in the bottom of the third, including a solo home run by Hannah Hornsby (Jr.-Brookville, Ind.) plus a two-run single by Juliana Hall (So.-Portage, Ind.).

Stritch built the lead back up to 8-3 before the Muskies scored three more in the bottom of the sixth to get within two. Hornsby hit a two-run double and freshman Mitty Schwartz (Fr.-Fox Lake, Wis.) also doubled in a run, but the Wolves scored two more in the top of the seventh and shut down the top of the Lakeland order in the bottom of the inning to finish the sweep.

Hall and Sydney Wickman (Sr.-Quinnesec, Mich.) led Lakeland offensively with three hits each on the day. Hannah Nelson (Fr.-Loves Park, Ill.) also added two hits with a double and a triple plus two runs batted in.

Leah Binsfeld (Sr.-Kaukauna, Wis.) took the loss in the opener, allowing 10 hits and nine runs (six earned) with five strikeouts in four innings. Hannah Verhunce (So.-Theresa, Wis.) started the nightcap and allowed four runs in 1 1/3 innings in taking the loss.

Seven different players pitched in the doubleheader for Lakeland, with Marissa Varela (So.-Calumet City, Ill.) the most effective over multiple innings with five strikeouts and two runs allowed in 3 1/3 innings. Mikayla Armatoski (So.-Columbus, Wis.) also through a scoreless inning in her collegiate debut in the second game.

Andrea Belme and Sam Beltran both recorded six hits each on the day to lead Stritch, with Helm driving in five runs and Aja Martinez adding four runs batted in.

Lakeland next will face Dominican University for a doubleheader Tuesday starting at 4 p.m. in Rosemont, Ill., at The Stadium at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex.