ROCHESTER, Minn. - After managing two hits in Sunday's softball season opener against nationally-ranked University of St. Thomas, Grinnell College's offense came alive in the second game of the day.
The Pioneers pounded out nine hits, including a three-hit performance by first-year
Maddie Matsubara '22, in a 12-6 loss to unbeaten University of Wisconsin-Stout in the Rochester Dome.
Ashley Wehrenberg '19 added two hits for the Pioneers and
Mya Davis '21 had a two-run triple and four RBIs overall.
Leila Bishop-Parise '21 added two stolen bases in the game.
After spotting UW-Stout a 6-0 lead, Grinnell put itself on the scoreboard in the third inning. With one out, Bishop-Parise walked and moved to second on Wehrenberg's single to left before both scored when Davis bashed a three-bagger.
The Blue Devils tallied twice in the third inning and again in the fifth for a 9-2 edge. The Pioneers then enjoyed a huge sixth inning where they scored four runs on five hits. Matsubara began the inning with an infield single, took second on
Flynn Johnson's '21 walk and each then stole a base.
Emily Jordan '19 followed with a single to force in one run, and
Mikyla Murphy '19 added another RBI single to make it 9-4.
Bishop-Parise knocked in another run when she reached on a fielder's choice and Murphy scored when Bishop-Parise stole second, bringing Grinnell within 9-6. UW-Stout closed out the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Grinnell used three pitchers in the game, with
Darice Wheeler '21 being the pitcher of record.
In Sunday's opener, Grinnell trailed seventh-ranked University of St. Thomas just 3-0 through four innings before the Tommies went on to post a 9-0, six-inning victory. Grinnell got two hits in the game, an infield single by Wehrenberg in the fourth inning and fifth-inning single by Murphy. Wheeler was the pitcher of record for the Pioneers.
During the two games, Wehrenberg moved up to ninth on Grinnell's career fielding assists list with 186.
The Pioneers are off until March 9 when they play games in Fulton, Mo., against Westminster College and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
