MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Lakeland University softball team again made quick work of two more opponents and stretched its win streak to six games after another sweep of two games at the Space Coast Spring Games Friday.
The Muskies handled Fitchburg State (Mass.) University 9-1 in their first game of the day and then routed Franciscan (Ohio) University 20-1. Lakeland is now 7-1 on its spring break trip (7-3 overall), with two more games remaining in Florida on Saturday before returning home to Wisconsin.
The Muskies won both of their games in five innings for the second straight day and also defeated their opponents by a combined score of 29-2 score for the second consecutive day. Lakeland also continued its offensive outburst that has included averaging 14.2 runs over its last five games, after the Muskies averaged just 2.2 runs over their first five contests.
Lakeland jumped on Fitchburg State (1-8 overall) by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning, sending 10 hitters to the plate. The Muskies took advantage of four Falcons errors in the inning, with three runs coming in after errors and
Kendyll Holub (
Jr.-Sturtevant, Wis.) also adding a run-scoring single with two outs.
Maddie Raske (
Jr.-Tinley Park, Ill.) sent in another run with a ground-rule double in the second for a 5-0 lead, and Lakeland scored another four runs in the bottom of the fourth.
McKenzie Staudinger (
Jr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) drove in a run on a fielder's choice,
Carlie Morrow (
Sr.-Menasha, Wis.) walked with the bases loaded to drive in another and
Callie Linders (
Jr.-Griffith, Ind.) hit a two-run single to stretch the lead to 9-1.
Lily Pettit (
So.-Rewey, Wis.) pitched a complete game and allowed just two hits with one unearned run while striking out five. Linders, Raske,
Sydney Meyer (
Sr.-Crown Point, Ind.) and
Reyna Rupnow (
Jr.-Ixonia, Wis.) all finished with two hits each to lead the Muskies' hitting attack.
Lakeland blew past Franciscan (2-8 overall) with ease, scoring seven runs in the second, eight more in the third and four in the fourth.
The Muskies sent 13 hitters to the plate in both the second and third innings, with all 13 of their hits coming in those two frames. Lakeland also scored four runs without a hit in the fourth, with
Tian Brooks (
Fr.-Sun Prairie, Wis.),
Mackenzie Ondrejcak (
Jr.-Aurora, Ill.) and
Grace Portenier (
Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) all walking with the bases loaded and
Dailyn Marine (
Jr.-Somers, Iowa) adding an RBI after reaching on an error.
Morrow,
Lexi Howard (
So.-Crown Point, Ind.) and
Madelyn Abler (
Fr.-Random Lake, Wis.) all finished with two hits each, with Abler and Howard both driving in a pair of runs and all three scoring twice. Nineteen different players batted for the Muskies, 13 different players scored at least one run and 11 drove in at least one run.
Natalie Ziebell (
So.-New Holstein, Wis.) improved to 4-1 on the season with another complete game, allowing just three hits and a solo home run in the fifth inning while striking out ten. The win also was the 100th career collegiate coaching win for Lakeland head coach
Kayla Bryant.
The Muskies close out their spring break trip on Saturday first taking on Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts at 3:45 p.m. Central, 4:45 p.m. locally in Florida. Lakeland then will take on Central (Iowa) College at 6 p.m. Central/7 p.m. Eastern.
