IWC softball splits with Clarke

The Iowa Wesleyan College softball team split a doubleheader with Clarke University but missed a chance to gain some leverage in the Midwest Collegiate Conference standings Tuesday night at the Mapleleaf Athletic Complex.

The Tigers overcame a slow start to defeat the Crusaders 8-0 in six innings in the opener, but could never get on track offensively in the second game and lost 2-1. Iowa Wesleyan is now 21-26 overall and 9-11 in the MCC and is locked in a three-way tie with Ashford University and Viterbo (Wis.) University for fourth in the conference standings.

IWC got a three-hit shutout from Sierrah Garcia in the first game, the fifth shutout this season for the Tiger ace. Garcia struck out five, walked one and also helped her cause with two hits and two RBIs, including a solo home run in the fifth inning.

Wesleyan finally got the offense going in the fourth inning, scoring five times and batting around to take control of the game. Garcia hit an RBI double to lead off the scoring, Jill Ginder hit a two-run single, and Sarah McCleary and Tory Beaver both drove in runs.

The Tigers closed the game out in the sixth as Beaver doubled for the second time in the game to drive in a run and Cari Smith drove in Beaver to give IWC a win via the eight-run rule. Wesleyan finished with 12 hits in the game, including two each for Beaver, Garcia, McCleary and Ginder.

Iowa Wesleyan could not duplicate its success at the plate in the second game, getting just five hits and an unearned run off Clarke starter Clarissa Abell. Abell struck out just one but kept the Tigers off balance by mixing speeds on her pitches and not walking a batter.

The Crusaders (7-24 overall, 5-15 MCC) scored a run in the top of the first as Betsy Nauman singled in leadoff hitter Krista Florini. The visitors added another run in the top of the third as Danielle Stralow doubled with two outs to drive in a run.

Wesleyan scored a run in the bottom of the third when Ashley Stube singled to lead off and came around to score when the outfielder bobbled the ball after Kristine Becks singled to left. The Tigers could never score again, though, and stranded runners at second and third in the seventh when Beaver lined back to the pitcher Abell to end the game.

Jillian Leutscher pitched well but took the loss for IWC, pitching a complete game and allowing four hits and two runs while striking out five and walking two. McCleary added two more hits and was the lone Tiger to finish with more than one hit in the contest.

Iowa Wesleyan next will play in the University of St. Francis (Ill.) Spring Fling tournament on Friday and Saturday in Joliet, Ill.