Softball, baseball underway

Baseball takes three of five; Softball wins before rain forces tie

By Matt Troha- Sports Editor

 Jeremy Hamilton gets a look at an opposing pitcher on the on deck circle, while the rest of the team anxiously watches. Photo by Ashley Freeman.

            The MC baseball team followed up a dominant weekend performance against Wisconsin Lutheran, with a pair of disappointing losses against Augustana on Wednesday.

            The weekend series marked the home opener for MC and a large crowd was greeted by warm weather. MC looked like the team that  finished a game away from the Division Three World Series last year on Saturday, as they blasted WL 9-1 and 13-1. The Scots finished the weekend by topping Lutheran one last time, beating the Warriors 6-3.

            Adam Carlson, Beau Hellman, and Toby Lanholm picked up weekend victories for MC on the mound. Eleven different players had hits in game one and Jeremy Hamilton had three RBI's. Hamilton added two more RBI's in game two, while Thad King and Alan Betourne each added a pair of RBI's as well. Hamilton wasn't done, knocking in two more runs in Sundays  game, while Jason Salmon had three hits and scored two runs.

            Wednesday brought cooler weather, as the Vikings of Augustana froze the Scots' three game winning streak, beating MC 4-2 and 6-5. Freshman Pat Schramm got to start in the game against an Auggie team that entered with a 10-4 record. Auggie got a run off of Schramm early, using a pair of two out hits to take a 1-0 lead in the first. The Scots tied the game up in the fourth when senior Jeremy Przybylo singled to drive in Hamilton. The Vikings used a costly MC error to add three more runs in the fifth. MC responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning, as freshman Josh Hall singled in Betourne. MC threatened in the bottom of the seventh, but Auggie closer Teddy Grothe closed the door on any MC rally attempt.

            Game two saw another freshman take the hill for MC, as Kevin Meinhart pitched the first four innings before giving way to transfer students John Scudella, Jeff Zurawicz, and Luke Atkins who each pitched a solid inning of relief. Auggie picked up single runs in the first and second, then three in the fourth inning to go up 5-0. MC got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, as Salmon led off with a single and advanced to third after an error and a wild pitch. Salmon scored on a single by King, who was forced out at second as Nate Clark reached on a fielder's choice. Clark then went to third as Augustana's third baseman committed an error on a hot shot by Hamilton. Clark came home on Betourne's single, before Augustana turned a double play to get out of the inning.

            MC kept the bats going in the fifth, as Pryzbylo sparked the offense again, this time with a double off the wall. Chris Musielak took first after being plunked by a pitch, before Auggie got their first out of the inning on a popout. Salmon then singled to drive in Pryzbylo. Augustana went to the bullpen, but new pitcher Jim Eddy was one and done after he walked King to load the bases. Clark's sac fly was dropped, scoring a run, which was followed by Hamilton's sacrifice fly, which tied the game at five before Augustana turned another inning ending double play.  

            Augustana took the lead for good on a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Grothe again closed out the seventh one-two-three.

            After a weekend off, the Scots are back in action when they travel to Illinois Wesleyan next Wednesday. 

  Jeremy Hamilton and Matt Gordon celebrate an MC run. Photo by Ashley Freeman.

 Adam Carlson pitches during the game against Wisconsin Lutheran last Saturday. Photo by Ashley Freeman.

 Thad King went 5-5 during Saturdays games and also scored four runs during the series. Photo by Ashley Freeman.

            The Monmouth College women's softball team followed their 2-2 finish in this past weekends Simpson Classic tournament in Indiana with a pair of strong showings against Aurora University, although Mother Nature only allowed them to pick up one victory. The Lady Scots had to settle for a tie with the visiting Spartans in game two, as rain-washed away the game in the seventh inning with the score knotted at four.

            The Lady Scots convincingly took the first game, winning 7-1 thanks to the stellar pitching performance of Shelly Orwig and timely hitting late in the game. Orwig struck out four in a complete game four hit performance that upped her record to 2-3 on the season and dropped her ERA to 3.65.

            Game one opened as a pitchers duel, as both teams failed to produce any offense in the first three innings. MC's bats came alive in the bottom of the fourth, as Nicole Auclair led off with a double and then scored on Rachel Webster's double. Vanessa Madison followed the back-to-back two baggers with an RBI single and Liz Hundall reached on an error by the shortstop. Hundall then moved to second and Peggy Gibbs, pinch running for Madison, moved to third on a passed ball, before Gibbs scored on a sacrifice fly by Carrie Gerardi. Aurora was able to stop the bleeding, retiring the next two batters, but MC had all they would need for the victory. Aurora used three two out singles in the top of the sixth to pick up their lone run, but MC responded in the bottom of the inning by tacking on four more runs.  Madison and Webster finished with two hits and an RBI apiece, while Michelle Courchane added a two RBI triple and also scored a pair of runs.

            MC got up early in game two, but Aurora was able to claw their way back to a tie by adding single runs in the fourth and seventh inning, as well as a pair of runs in the fifth.

MC got all their offense during the third inning, as Michelle Meyer started things off with a single and advanced to third on Cassie Gulley's double. The next two MC batters failed to advance the runners, leaving MC in need of a clutch two out hit. Madison, one of four seniors on the team, came through by stroking a two RBI double to right center field and then scoring on a single off of Hundall's bat. An overthrow and an error would allow Hundall to come around from first and score MC's fourth and final run.

            Heather Burrows pitched all seven innings for MC, although only two of the four runs were earned. The no decision that came with the tie left Burrows at 4-3 on the season with a minute ERA of 1.28.

            The Lady Scots are now 6-6-1 on the season and will entertain Augustana for a doubleheader this Saturday, before Illinois Wesleyan visits for a pair of games Wednesday afternoon.