PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University turned around a tough day with an eight-run fifth inning in the second game and earned a split of a doubleheader with Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference-leading Dominican University Thursday afternoon.
The Muskies lost the first game 2-1 in eight innings but came back for an 11-8 win in a wild second game of the day. The eventful afternoon left Dominican still alone in first place in the NACC at 15-5 in conference (21-13 overall), while Lakeland is tied for second in the conference at 11-5 (19-12-1 overall) with Aurora University and Marian University.
The Muskies will happily take the split after a tough loss in the opener was followed by a struggling first 4 1/2 innings in the second game. Dominican scored in four of the first five innings, mashing out 15 hits in taking a 7-3 lead that looked headed for much worse when the Stars strung together four straight singles in the fifth, several on the infield and bringing in a run while the bases remained loaded.
Jacie Jones (
Sr.-Prairie du Sac, Wis.) was able to minimize the damage, though, by getting a pair of infield flies and then a soft liner to second base that
Sydney Meyer (
Sr.-Crown Point, Ind.) snagged with an over-the-shoulder catch, and Lakeland's luck suddenly turned in the bottom of the fifth inning, in part with help from the guests.
The Muskies scored eight times in the bottom of the fifth in an inning that included four hits as well as five Stars errors.
Maddie Raske (
Jr.-Tinley Park, Ill.) and
Carlie Morrow (
Sr.-Menasha, Wis.) both reached on errors to start the rally and
McKenzie Staudinger (
Jr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) followed with a single to score pinch runner
Mackenzie Ondrejcak (
Jr.-Aurora, Ill.) with Morrow following close behind and scoring all the way from first after center fielder Kayla Amormino bobbled the ball in right-center.
Lexi Howard (
So.-Crown Point, Ind.) followed two batters later with a single to bring in pinch runner
Kaylee Hunt (
So.-St. Paul Park, Minn.) and make it 7-6, and
Abby Heitman (
Sr.-St. Francis, Wis.) followed with a two-run double down the left field line to score
Sam Marchant (
Jr.-Green Bay, Wis.) and Howard, suddenly putting Lakeland ahead 8-7.
The Muskies weren't done, as
Reyna Rupnow (
Jr.-Ixonia, Wis.) reached on an infield single,
Callie Linders (
Jr.-Griffith, Ind.) got aboard on another error and with the bases loaded Raske hit a grounder to first to score Heitman. Lakeland then scored two more when Morrow reached on an error for the second time in the inning, the fifth error of the frame scoring both Rupnow and Linders to make it 11-7.
Dominican still made Lakeland sweat in the seventh inning, loading the bases with one out with the meat of its order coming up. Starting pitcher
Lily Pettit (
Rewey, Wis.), who had exited after allowing three runs in the first two innings, came back in the game for Jones and got Ryley Davis to hit a sacrifice fly, and then Heitman tracked down a fly ball into left-center by Emme Slavens to end the game.
The Muskies had previously bounced back from a 3-0 deficit early to tie the game with three runs in the third, as Morrow after a long at bat hit a two-run double to left center and Staudinger singled to drive in a run and tie the game at 3-3. The Stars came right back with three runs in the top of the fourth, though, regaining control until Lakeland's fifth-inning rally.
Staudinger went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the second game and Heitman and Howard added two hits each. Jones picked up the win, allowing eight hits and two runs in three-plus innings, while Pettit came back in and picked up her second save.
The first game was a pitcher's duel and one the Muskies appeared in line to win when Heitman hit a leadoff triple in the fifth inning and Howard followed with a sacrifice fly for the game's first run.
Natalie Ziebell (
So.-New Holstein, Wis.) dominated Dominican hitters through five innings, allowing just one hit and getting 12 ground ball outs, with the Stars not hitting a ball into the outfield until a pair of fly outs to start the sixth inning.
The game turned in just a few pitches, though, as with two down in the fifth Paytin Salfi hit a double to center field off the glove of Linders, and Raegyn Davis followed with a single up the middle on the very next pitch to drive in the tying run. The Stars then took the lead in the eighth when Ryley Davis hit a two-out RBI single to score Isabella Olmos, and the Muskies went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
Ziebell finished with a no decision after allowing three hits and one run with two strikeouts in six innings. Jones came on in relief and allowed one hit and one run with two strikeouts and two walks, taking the loss on the way to receiving the decision in both games.
Linders and Raske both had two hits each. Lakeland lost despite outhitting Dominican 7-4, with the Stars getting double plays in the sixth and seventh innings to stop potential Muskies rallies.
Lakeland gets the day off Friday before going on the road for a pair of doubleheaders this weekend, starting with a trip to face Rockford University at noon on Saturday in Rockford, Ill.
