Crusaders drop doubleheader to CCSJ

by Trent Bollman, sports information student assistant

Whiting, Indiana - Jeff Lamb and the Clarke University softball squad dropped a twin bill vs. Calumet College of St. Joseph in Thursday's matchup. The Crusaders entered today's game with a record of 8-6.

Kayla O'Brien (JR/Frankfort, Ill.) started off Game 1 with a single to left field. Allyson Renforth (SO/Waterloo, Wis.) then followed up with a double to deep center field to score O'Brien. Clarke led 1-0 after one inning of play.

Lauren Akre (JR/Amboy, Ill.) pitched the opener for the Crusaders. Akre gave up only one earned run in six innings of work.

The Crimson Wave was held scoreless until the third inning where they took advantage of a Crusader fielding mistake to tie it up at 1-1. They kept things rolling and managed to cross two more runs and make the score 3-1 after four complete innings of play.

In the seventh inning Madison Metzger (JR/Frankfort, Ill.) led off with a single and advanced to second on a Calumet error. Crews later singled to put runners at the corners with one out. Brie Tauber (FR/Dubuque, Iowa) then grounded out to first and brought in Metzger to make the score 3-2 in favor of the Crimson Wave.

The Crimson Wave managed to hold off the Crusaders late inning comeback to take the first game by a score of 3-2.

Game 2

The Crusaders wasted no time as Sarah Crews (SO/Beecher, Ill.) blasted a solo homer to left field in the top of the first inning. Crews stayed hot at the plate bringing in Hailee Beals (SR/Marshalltown, Iowa) and Maddie Metzger with a three-run home run in the top of the second inning. Allyson Renforth then reached on a fielders choice, scoring Brie Tauber and making the score 5-0 in favor of the Crusaders after two complete innings.

Allyson Renforth took the circle for Clarke in Game 2. Renforth finished with 6-plus innings of work and kept Calumet College of St. Joseph's bats quiet through six innings.

Renforth helped out her own cause with a solo shot to left field to make the score 6-0 entering the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Crimson Wave didn't back down and made things interesting in the bottom half of the seventh. A three-run home run and a two-run home run brought the score to 6-5 Crusaders. Momentum stayed in Calumet College of St. Joseph's favor and they brought in two more runs to complete the comeback. The Crusaders dropped game two by a score of 7-6.

The next game for the Crusaders is on March 20 with a doubleheader vs. Culver-Stockton College.