The Charger softball team traveled to Mitchell, South Dakota for a doubleheader against Dakota Wesleyan. BC took game one 9-1 and fell in game two 3-1. Kennedy Andersen held the hot bat for the Chargers, going 4-for-7 with a three-run home run on the day.
Game 1 - W, 9-1 (6 Innings)
The pitching duo of Georgia Krohn and Mackenna Raby held the Tigers to one run in game one. Krohn started the game, pitching 2.2 innings while recording a strikeout and giving up one earned run. Raby entered the game in the bottom of the third and shut down the Tiger offense. She threw 3.1 shutout innings and recorded 3 K's From the fourth inning on, Raby retired the Tiger bats in order each inning.
In the top of the first, Karina Cupples put the Chargers in scoring position with a leadoff double and stole third during the next at-bat. Josie Chronic drew a walk to put runners at the corners. Kylee Lukes reached base on a fielder's choice, allowing Cupples to score the game's first run and the Cliff led 1-0. With two outs, Kennedy Andersen hit a three-run shot, to put BC up 4-0 after the first.
BC, in the top of the third, were in scoring position after back-to-back singles by Andersen and Brooke Masi. Callie Billings laid a bunt down to load up the bases. Aubrey Chichurka hit an RBI sac fly to center field, driving in Veronica Pitzl to give the Chargers a 5-0 lead. Sydney Lierman followed up with a two RBI single to extend the lead 7-0. In the bottom of the third, DWU's McKinnely Mull hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Alyssa Burke to cut the lead to 7-1.
In the top of the fifth, Billings reached base on an error by the Tigers and Chichurka singled to move Billings to third. Lierman followed up with an RBI double to drive in Billings and give BC an 8-1 lead.
Alexis Westercamp scored in the top of the sixth after Billings' sacrifice ground out gave the Chargers a 9-1 lead. Raby forced a fly out, infield pop-up, and a groundout in the bottom of the inning to preserve the 9-1 victory.
Andersen led the Cliff offense going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and one run. Lierman went 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs followed by Cupples going 2-for-4 with one run.
Game 2 – L, 3-1
Dakota Weseleyan took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first after an RBI single from Mull.
In the top of the fourth, BC looked to put runs on the board after putting runners on first and second with two outs. Brooke Masi singled during her plate appearance, but Chronic was thrown out trying to reach home plate from second to end the inning. The Tigers added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth after an RBI double from Peyton Bagley, followed by an RBI single from Aubrey Garbarek to take a 3-0 lead.
The Cliff were in another scoring position in the top of the sixth after a leadoff double by Lukes and an infield single by Andersen. BC moved runners to second and third with two outs after Masi grounded out. Billings in the next at-bat grounded out, leaving two runners stranded in scoring position.
In the final inning, BC gained momentum after a lead-off double by Chichurka. Jessica James came in to pinch run for Chichurka and moved to third after a single by Lierman. Cupples reached base on a fielder's choice, driving in James and the Cliff trailed 3-1 with no outs. Chronic followed up with a single to load the bases. The Tigers defense stopped the Chargers momentum after DWU's Nora Nelson made an unassisted double play, making the force out at third base and throwing Lierman out at home plate. Down to their last out, Westercamp flew out and the Chargers fell 3-1 in game two.
Andersen and Chronic led the Charger bats going 2-for-4 at the plate. Seven different Chargers recorded a hit in the contest, while Cupples recorded the lone RBI for the Cliff. Morgan Jones was called in a relief effort and gave up zero runs and recorded one strike out in 2.1 innings of work.
The Chargers fall to 18-19 overall (8-10 GPAC) and return to action tomorrow for their home finale against Northwestern. First pitch for game one is designated for 3 p.m. with game two to follow.
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