IW softball swept by Culver-Stockton

CANTON, Mo. — The Iowa Wesleyan softball team had a tough couple of game last Thursday against the Wildcats of Culver-Stockton College.

The Tigers gave the Wildcats quite a run through game one of the doubleheader, but they didn’t have enough falling narrowly 2-1. In the second of the two games, Culver-Stockton put together some of its best ball as the Tigers struggled to get the bats going in an eventual 10-1 defeat.

In game one, both teams struggled to get the bats going.

The Tiger went three innings without a single hit. The Wildcats first came in the bottom of the third inning off a bunt, which eventually became the first run of the game.

After an error by Iowa Wesleyan, Culver-Stockton sacrificed bunted twice to bring home the run.

Iowa Wesleyan answered an inning later.

After a Julia Hill bunt put her on first, Aspyn Harrison singled to left to bring Hill to second.

After a strikeout and with two outs and two on, Ivy Geerdes hit a single to right center to bring Hill across home plate to tie it 1-1.

After both going scoreless through the fourth, Culver-Stockton brought home the game winning run in the fifth.

The Tigers went three up three down in their half of the fifth and after an opening at-bat strikeout in the bottom of the inning, the Wildcats drilled a ball over the fence to retake the lead, 2-1.

In the top half of the sixth, Iowa Wesleyan was in pristine position to notch it back up.

Kara Krieger doubled in the opening at bat and a sac bunt by Hill brought her to third.

In the next at-bat, Harrison got ahold of the ball but her line drive went directly at the Wildcat short stop, setting up the double play at third.

Iowa Wesleyan held Culver-Stockon in check in the bottom of the sixth, but the Tigers went three up three down in the top of the seventh to end it.

Kara Krieger, Julia Hill, Aspyn Harrison and Ivy Geerdes all finished with hits for the Tigers. Geerdes had the Tigers lone RBI.

On the mound, Harrison went six innings, giving up just three hits, two runs (one earned), while striking out seven.

In game number two, the Tigers kept it close for three and a half innings.

Iowa Wesleyan’s Krieger was walked in the first at-bat of the game, but the Tigers followed with three straight outs.

Culver-Stockton’s first run came in its half of the first.

After a hit by pitch and a single which turned into extra bases, the Wildcats had runners on second and third with no outs.

An at-bat later a sacrifice fly brought home the first run of the game.

Iowa Wesleyan got out of the inning with two straight strikeouts.

Both teams went scoreless through the second, but Iowa Wesleyan was able to get the bats going in the top of the third.

After two quick outs, Harrison doubled and Jordan Lantz made it to first on a fielding error, which moved Harrison to third.

Geerdes answered the call once again with an RBI single to bring Harrison home and make it 1-1.

The Tigers wouldn’t tally another hit in the game.

After holding the Wildcats without a run in the bottom of the third and going scoreless themselves through the top of the fourth, the game got away from the Tigers in the bottom half of the fourth.

Culver-Stockton went on to score seven runs on six hits and two errors in the bottom half of the inning to make it 8-1.

Iowa Wesleyan went three up three down in the fifth and Culver-Stockton added two additional runs in the bottom of the inning to seal it, 10-1.

Geerdes led the Tigers with two hits and one RBI in the loss. Harrison had one hit as well.

Haiden Molter went 3.1 innings in the circle giving up four hits, six runs (four earned) and four strikeouts.

Ariana Wolfard pitched 0.2 innings, allowing three hits and two runs.

Abigail Thompson gave up two hits and two run (one earned) in the loss as well.

Iowa Wesleyan drops to 5-18 with the pair of losses.