GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College's softball team bounced back in impressive fashion to split a Midwest Conference-opening twin bill with Illinois College Thursday.
 
The Pioneers, who lost the opener 4-2, rolled to a 10-0, five-inning shutout win over the Lady Blues in the second game at the Softball Complex.
 
The Pioneers pounded out 11 hits in the win, with two apiece by Kayla Morrissey '18, Leila Bishop-Parise '21, Flynn Johnson '21 and Andi Leff '18. Darice Wheeler '21 was masterful in earning the pitching win, scattering four hits and striking out two over four innings. Melissa Anderson '18 pitched a perfect fifth to end the game via the mercy rule.
 
Grinnell scored three times in the first inning as Johnson had an RBI single to left, Mya Davis '21 hit a sacrifice fly to right and Leff delivered an RBI single through the left side.
 
The Pioneers tacked on another run in the second on Bishop-Parise's RBI double to left before striking for six runs in the fourth. Johnson had a two-run double to left, Wheeler hit a run-scoring single through the left side, Emily Jordan '19 had an RBI single to right, and Ashley Wehrenberg '19 and Morrissey each drew bases-loaded walks.
 
Grinnell lost the opener despite out-hitting the Lady Blues 9-8. Wheeler and Johnson each had two hits for the Pioneers, and Wheeler was tagged with the pitching loss.
 
Grinnell led 1-0 in the bottom of the first on Wheeler's RBI single to center. The Lady Blues tallied four runs in the second and Grinnell got one back in the fifth on Johnson's RBI double to left-center.
 
Grinnell is now 12-5 overall and the Lady Blues are 9-7. Both teams are 1-1 in the league.
 
The Pioneers saw plenty of movement on their all-time career chart, mostly by Leff who is now sixth in at-bats (356), seventh in RBIs (55), ninth in games started (119) and 10th in games played (119). Morrissey moved up to eighth in games played with 121.
 
Grinnell's twin bill at Knox College Sunday has been moved up to Saturday due to weather concerns. Action begins at 1 p.m.