CLERMONT, Fla. – The Grinnell College softball team did a quick turnaround Thursday, bouncing back from a heart-breaking loss to earn a thrilling 3-2, nine-inning victory over Oberlin College.
After a scoreless eighth inning using the international tie-breaker rule, the Pioneers went to work in the ninth. With
Andi Leff '18 on second base,
Ashley Wehrenberg '19 sacrificed her to third before
Kayla Morrissey '18 ripped an RBI triple to right field.
The Pioneers held Oberlin scoreless in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win, icing one of
Maggie Remus' '18 top pitching performances. She had a complete-game effort, scattering eight hits and striking out three without issuing a walk. Remus now ranks fifth in Pioneer history for career wins with 14.
Morrissey was 3-for-4 at the plate, including the game-winning triple and a double as she became Grinnell's career leader in three-baggers with 12 and total bases with 207.
Oberlin got on the board first with a run in the initial inning, but Grinnell tied it in the third when Morrissey walked, stole second and scored on
Flynn Johnson's '21 single to center.
The Pioneers added a run in the fourth as
Sidney Litke '19 walked before Morrissey delivered an RBI double to left-center. Oberlin scored in the bottom of the fourth, and there were four more scoreless innings before Grinnell won.
In the opener,
Mya Davis '21 blasted her first collegiate home run – a grand slam shot – as Grinnell lost an 8-7 decision to Calvin College. Davis had two hits in the game.
Calvin scored twice in the first inning before Grinnell erupted for seven runs in the fifth. Wehrenberg walked and took second on a wild pitch before Morrissey walked.
Leila Bishop-Parise '21 moved both up with a sacrifice and
Darice Wheeler '21 walked before Johnson singled through the left side, scoring two runs.
After
Andi Leff '18 walked, David belted her four-run shot to right field to make it 6-2.
Melissa Anderson '18 and Wehrenberg each walked before Morrissey delivered an RBI single to left.
However, Calvin came right back with six runs in the sixth inning to go ahead and eventually win.
Wheeler pitched 5-1/3 innings and struck out five. Anderson, who came in relief and was the pitcher of record, struck out two.
Also on the day, Morrissey moved up to third on Grinnell's all-time runs list with 78, and fifth in at-bats and doubles with 357 and 22, respectively.
Grinnell, 4-3, concludes its spring break trip with games against St. Lawrence and Kalamazoo on Friday.
