Softball Goes 2-2 at Coach B Classic

The Loyola softball team took to Carbondale March 9-10 to compete in the Coach B Classic hosted by Southern Illinois University. The Ramblers played two games against the University of Wisconsin Green Bay and Southern Illinois University. 

University of Wisconsin Green Bay – March 9

The Ramblers opened play with a single by fourth-year outfielder Ava Bieneman to second base. With Bieneman on second after a steal, a bunt from third-year outfielder Riley Owens single got her to third while Owens made it to second. 

The bases were loaded after fourth-year infielder Sydney Barnett walked. First-year infielder Nat Lesnicki singled up the middle, sending Owens and Bieneman home and recording two RBIs. 

The Ramblers came out strong in the second as well, beginning with a single to left field by fourth-year infielder Hannah Nalley. Nalley advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt by first-year infielder Liz Sedakis and later scored on a double by second-year outfielder Sierra Sass, putting the Ramblers up 3-0.

Third-year utility player Lauren Porter started the bottom of the second on first base. A wild pitch allowed second-year infielder Paige Hanson to cross home plate for the Phoenix. A single up the middle by second-year infielder Aidyn Messmann brought Porter home, making it 3-2. 

A single by Barnett and a double from fourth-year outfielder Teagan Sopczak put both players in scoring position in the top of the third. Nalley singled to left field which brought Barnett home and a single from Sedakis brought in Sopczak. The Ramblers scored three more runs in the inning as Nalley, Sass and Sedakis all reached home, putting the team up 8-2.

Third-year Green Bay outfielder Bella Herman hit a triple and made her way home on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third.

With Lesnicki on second in the top of the fourth, Sedakis brought her home after hitting a triple to give the Ramblers a 9-3 advantage. 

First-year Phoenix infielder Anna Trimble got on second to start the bottom of the inning. A single by second-year Green Bay utility player Kaylin Fahy brought Trimble home for the fourth and final Phoenix run of the game. 

Barnett hit a three-run homerun and secured the Rambler win at 12-4, ending the game after five innings as the mercy rule kicked in. 

Southern Illinois University – March 9 

With fourth-year infielder Rylie Hamilton on first after a walk, second-year SIU infielder Jackie Lis hit a two-run homerun, giving the Salukis an early lead at the end of the first inning.

An error by Southern Illinois’ first-year outfielder Katherine Johnson in right field put Sopczak on first in the top of the third. Sopczak advanced to second as Sass reached first base on a fielder’s choice. Bieneman singled up the middle and loaded the bases. Lesnicki, who reached first on a fielder’s choice, recorded an RBI as Sopczak came home.

A single from Hamilton in the bottom of the fifth led to two RBIs as fourth-year outfielder Elizabeth Warwick and first-year pitcher Maddia Groff came home from second and third for a 4-1 Saluki lead. 

The Ramblers were unable to record any more runs for the remainder of the game as the Salukis closed out the 4-1 win. 

University of Wisconsin Green Bay – March 10

Second-year Phoenix utility player Kendal Herschbach hit a sacrifice bunt to get Herman into scoring position early in the first inning. Fourth-year Green Bay catcher Samantha Saloun hit a home run and gained a quick 2-0 lead for the Phoenix. 

With Lesnicki and Barnett on first and second following back-to-back walks and third-year infielder Haley Wallace on third, Sopczak tripled to right field, bringing in all three of the base runners to take a 3-2 lead.

In the bottom of the third, the Ramblers scored three additional runs by Lesnicki, Sopczak and Sedakis. The Ramblers tallied four hits in the inning including a double and a triple. 

Lesnicki made her way to first on a fielder’s choice and advanced to third as Wallace made her way home. A single by Sopczak brought in Lesnicki and secured another Rambler win 8-2. 

Southern Illinois University – March 10

To open the second game against SIU, Lesnicki reached first base on an error by Lis at shortstop and advanced to second on the throw to first. With Lesnicki on base, Barnett hit a homerun and brought the pair home for a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, a single by fourth-year Saluki infielder Sidney Jones and a homerun from Warwick tied the game 2-2. 

Things heated up in the bottom of the fifth for the Salukis when Groff was hit by a pitch, putting her on first. A sacrifice bunt from fourth-year SIU infielder Jenna Christeson got Groff to second. An error by Wallace at second allowed second-year infielder Erin Lee to reach first and Groff to score to put SIU up 3-2 and secure the Saluki victory for the second time in the invitational.

The Ramblers will travel to Washington, D.C. to begin Atlantic 10 play March 16-17 with three games against the George Washington University Revolutionaries beginning Saturday at 11 a.m.

Featured image courtesy of Loyola Athletics