Tiger softball splits at HLGU

HANNIBAL — The Iowa Wesleyan softball team split games in a road trip to Hannibal-LaGrange University on Wednesday. The Tigers struggled offensively in Game 1, but erupted in Game 2.

HLGU kept the Tiger bats off balance for a 4-2 win in the opener. In Game 2, IW battled back from a 7-0 deficit to stun the Trojans 11-10.

Iowa Wesleyan had an early lead when Kara Krieger reached base and scored on a J Lantz groundout. That, however, was the only run the Tigers would score until their final at-bat.

HLGU scored two runs in the bottom of the first, both off of RBI doubles, and added two more in the third, as the Trojans took a 4-1 advantage.

Krieger lead off the seventh inning with a single, and the bases were eventually loaded with nobody out. Ivy Geerdes brought in a run on an RBI walk with one out, but the next two batters struck out and the Tigers fell two runs short.

Aspyn Harrison was 3-for-4 in the Game 1 loss to lead the Tigers. She also threw four innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits and one walk, while striking out three batters. Krieger finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

The Tigers found themselves down 7-0 after one inning in Game 2, but they battled all the way back to cut the lead to 8-6 in the top of the fifth.

HLGU tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Tigers went on to score the next five.

Down 10-8 in the seventh, Harrison singled in Krieger to cut the lead down to one. Then, Alexis Davis stepped up and delivered a huge two RBI triple to give the Tigers the lead.

Iowa Wesleyan’s Haiden Molter picked up the win in the circle, throwing four innings and giving up just three runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out four batters. She pitched a shut out seventh to seal the game. Ariana Wolfard started the game and gave up seven earned runs over three innings.

Thompson led the Tiger offense, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Geerdes had three hits as well. Jordan Morthland and Nicole Sherril each had two hits and an RBI.

Iowa Wesleyan is now 5-16 on the season. The Tigers are playing at Culver-Stockton on Thursday. As of press time, those games have not finished.