PELLA, Iowa – Grinnell College's softball team continued its impressive start and made some history in the process.
The Pioneers beat a nationally-ranked team for the first time in at least a decade as they broke a scoreless tie with a five-run fifth inning to beat No. 15 Central College 5-3 Wednesday.
Melissa Anderson '18, who had a strong pitching performance in earning the win, set Grinnell's school record for career innings pitched as she is now at 409 innings. That beats the old mark of 405 established by Kate Reynolds, who wrapped up her career in 2004.
After battling to a scoreless tie through four innings, Grinnell went to work in the fifth when
Kayla Morrissey '18 reached on an error,
Leila Bishop-Parise '21 walked and
Darice Wheeler '21 was intentionally walked to load the bases with two out.
Flynn Johnson '21 then walked to push across a run and
Emily Jordan '19 lifted a two-run single to make it 3-0. Johnson also scored on the play via an error.
Andi Leff '18 later added an RBI infield single to make it 5-0.
Central loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but the Pioneer defense escaped by surrendering no runs. The Dutch did tally three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Wheeler – pitching in relief – induced a groundout to give Grinnell the big win.
Anderson worked 6-1/3 innings and fanned one in getting the win, while Wheeler tossed hitless ball the rest of the game for the save.
Central won the nightcap 10-2 in five innings. The Dutch scored twice in the first inning before Grinnell cut the margin in half with a run in the second as Jordan singled up the middle, went to second on
Mikyla Murphy's '19 sacrifice bunt, took third on
Maggie Remus' '18 sacrifice bunt and scored on Leff's RBI groundout.
The Dutch rallied with three runs in the third and fourth innings for an 8-1 lead. Grinnell got its final run in the top of the fifth when Wehrenberg walked and Bishop-Parise delivered an RBI double to left-center.
Central scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.
Remus was the pitcher of record for the Pioneers, who are 9-4. Central moved to 13-5.
Besides Anderson's career record, three other Pioneers moved up the career top 10 list. Morrissey is now third in career doubles with 27 and ninth in games started with 117. Remus moved up to sixth in sacrifice hits with 19 and Leff up to ninth in runs batted in with 49.
Grinnell hosts the Pioneer Invite this Friday and Saturday.
