Photo by Andrew Nostvick
ANDREW NOSTVICK SPORTS EDITOR
On Sunday, the Wartburg softball team lost a two games on Sunday in Peru, Neb.
They first lost to Avila University (Mo.), 10-9. They then also lost to Peru State College, 4-3.
This comes a day after the Knights split a doubleheader at home against Cardinal Stritch University, in which they won 9-6 in the first game and dropping game two, 12-4.
The Wolves jumped out to a 1-0 on an RBI single in game one. Wartburg scored three runs in the bottom half of the first to take the lead.
Linnea Haler scored the first run for the Knights on a Tina Vande Hoef single.
Vande Hoef scored later in the inning on an Ashley Stout bases-loaded walk.
In the first game, she went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI’s.
Paige Gerstner scored the third run of the inning.
The Cardinals closed the lead to 3-2 in the third inning on an RBI single.
The Knights responded in the next half-inning when Lyn Heitkamp hit a two-run home run, over the left field fence, to give the Knights a 5-2 lead. Heitkamp was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
“I just relaxed at the plate, got a good outside pitch and tried to hit it hard,” Heitkamp said. “It was obviously a morale booster. I think we had good momentum going. Putting up multiple run innings is always huge.”
In the fourth inning, the Wolves scored three runs to tie the game at five.
However, Wartburg added two of their own in the bottom half of the fourth inning, making the game 7-5.
With two runners on base, Vande Hoef hit a single to send Haler home for the first run of the inning.
Gerstner’s ground out brought home Emily Braem for the second run of the inning.
Cardinal Stritch added their final run of the game in the fifth inning, on a solo home run, cutting the lead to one, 7-6.
Wartburg scored two more runs in the sixth inning. Gerstner hit the other home run for the Knights when she hit a two-run shot over the left field wall.
The home run was Gerstner’s lone hit in the first game.
Janelle Schneiderman picked up the win in relief for Wartburg. Schneiderman pitched 2 1/3 innings with two hits and three earned runs.
In the second game, Wartburg lost to the Wolves, 12-4 in six innings. Nine runs in the final three innings made the difference in the game.
“It’s really just little things that we need to get corrected, where we see the opportunities on offense and shut things down on defense a little more quickly,” head coach Kara Kehe said.
The Wolves jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Wartburg responded in the second inning when Stacy Kayser walked in Heitkamp with the bases loaded.
The Wolves scored two more runs in the third inning, to build the lead to 3-1.
Wartburg responded in the next half inning when a Vandehoef single scored Haler.
The Knights had the bases loaded, but an Ashley Stout flyout, turned into a double play.
The Wolves scored five runs in the fourth inning, to put them ahead of the Knights, 8-3.
Wartburg added another run in the fourth inning when Sarah Kuntzelman scored on a ground out by Braem.
Wartburg had runners in scoring position, but wasn’t able to score additional runs.
Cardinal Stritch added four runs to their lead in the sixth inning, which put them ahead 12-4.
Allysa Neighbor took the loss for Wartburg.
“It’s not like we didn’t have the opportunities, we just didn’t execute,” Heitkamp said.
Schneiderman took the loss for the Knights.
With this week’s action, Wartburg is now 8-8 in the season.
Before opening the conference season on Saturday against Cornell, Wartburg will head to New Ulm, Minn., to take on Martin Luther on Tuesday, starting at 3 p.m.