IC Splits with Grinnell on Saturday

GRINNELL, Iowa – The Illinois College softball team split a Midwest Conference doubleheader with Grinnell on Saturday, taking the opener 7-5 before dropping the nightcap, 9-0 on Saturday at the Grinnell Softball Complex.

The split moved IC to 18-19 overall and 11-3 in conference play. Grinnell is now 24-14 and 13-3.

Game 1 (IC 7 Grinnell 5)
IC scored the first seven runs of the game, including a six-run outburst in the fourth inning, and were three outs away from a shutout before Grinnell put on a furious rally in the bottom of the seventh but the Lady Blues were able to close out the victory.

The Lady Blues broke the scoreless tie in a big way in the top of the fourth. Calynn Gicante opened the scoring with a solo home run. Elysia Hand then drove in a run with a single before Brooke Loveall doubled home a pair. Kayla Serpa followed with a two-RBI single and then Gicante closed out the scoring for the inning with a single.

IC added an insurance run in its half of the sixth when Loveall scored on a Pioneer error.

Julia Drake earned the victory and improved to 10-8 on the season by tossing seven innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits with four strikeouts. The senior from New Athen, Ill. now needs 10 strikeouts to become the school's all-time leader. 

The Lady Blues' offense was keyed by Gigante who collected a team-high three hits and a pair of RBI. Jaycie Edwards also had three hits while Serpa and Loveall each collected two hits and two RBI. Hand added a pair of hits as well.

Game 2 (Grinnell 9 IC 0)
The Pioneers scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back to salvage the split.

IC had three hits in the game, singles from Hand, Taylor Henry, and Claudia Adam.

Hannah Crouch took the loss for IC, allowing seven runs (five earned) in one inning of work. Henry pitched the final three innings for the Lady Blues, allowing two runs with four strikeouts.

Up Next
IC is back in action tomorrow when it travels to Mt. Vernon, Iowa to face Cornell in the regular season finale. The Midwest Conference doubleheader is slated to start at 1:00 p.m.